Government to provide additional 50 days work to farmers under MGNREGA in drought-hit areas

Union Government on 14 September 2015 decided to provide additional 50 days of unskilled manual work in the financial year 2015-16 in drought-hit areas under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. The additional days will be provided to bring relief to farmers in view of deficit monsoon in various parts of the country.

At present, 100 days of work is provided to rural job card holders under the MGNREGA, in such rural areas where drought or natural calamities has been notified. The drought areas will be notified in consultation with states.

The decision was taken after monsoon deficit reached 16 percent across the country, which could affect kharif crops and rural income.

The move of the Union Government will allow state governments to provide additional wage employment to rural poor in the drought affected areas.

Earlier, Government had announced diesel subsidy scheme for farmers to help save standing crops. It has also announced appropriate input support measures to rejuvenate water-stressed horticulture crops in drought-hit areas.

It has also decided to provide assistance for additional interventions for production of fodder for mitigating adverse impact of drought on livestock in drought-hit blocks.

Apart from this, the Union Government has made flexible allocation under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and other centrally sponsored schemes. It has put in place crop contingency plan for 600 districts.