SRINAGAR: The wage liabilities under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for Jammu and Kashmir have reached Rs 72.13 crore as of January 27, 2025, according to official data presented in the Lok Sabha. The figures indicate that the region continues to grapple with pending payments despite measures aimed at ensuring timely wage disbursement.
The information was provided by Minister of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan in response to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha. The data, sourced from the Ministry of Rural Development, also highlights pending liabilities across various states and Union Territories, with the total outstanding wage liabilities across the country amounting to Rs 6,433.95 crore.
Jammu and Kashmir’s wage liabilities, while not among the highest, underscore ongoing challenges in wage disbursement under MGNREGS. The delays in payments are attributed to procedural bottlenecks, fund allocation constraints, and administrative inefficiencies. The Government of India has issued guidelines mandating wage payments within 15 days of the closure of muster rolls. However, several states, including Jammu and Kashmir, continue to experience delays.
To address these issues, the Ministry of Rural Development has implemented various measures, including the upscaling of the National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS), closer coordination with state governments, and the introduction of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for monitoring wage payments and compensation for delays. These interventions have improved fund transfer efficiency, with data indicating that 98.47 per cent of Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs) were generated within 15 days in the current financial year.
Despite these efforts, ensuring uninterrupted wage payments remains a challenge. The government has reiterated its commitment to making sufficient funds available to meet MGNREGS demands and improve the financial security of rural workers in Jammu and Kashmir.
