VIJAYAWADA: The Centre has allocated 1.83 crore more person-days to Andhra Pradesh, considering its better performance in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
This is the second time in the financial year that the Centre is sanctioning additional person-days to the State. Initially, the Centre has sanctioned 20 crore person-days to the State for the 2021-21 financial year. However, after the State completed the target, the Centre allocated 1.67 crore person days in August, taking the total person-days to 21.67 crore.
However, after the officials of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department sought more funds to the State stating 21.67 crore person days are nearing completion, the Centre sanctioned 1.83 crore more person-days, taking the total to 23.50 crore.
When contacted, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Commissioner Kona Sasidhar said that MGNREGS is a demand driven programme and the State would get more person-days if there is demand.
The fresh person-days are sufficient for providing work to the needy till January, 2022. “If there is demand, we will seek more budget under the scheme,” he added.
“For the past one week, the turnout of workers is around 2 lakh a day on an average. Going by the trend, 1.83 crore person-days will come in handy for providing work under the rural job guarantee scheme for at least three months,’’ the official noted.
Stating that there will be a gradual increase in the number of workers after the Sankranti festival and the turnout may go up to 5 lakh a day in February and March, he said that the government would send another request seeking more person-days after completing more than 80 per cent of the fresh sanction.
MGNREGS numbers
20 crore: Person days sanctioned to the State for the 2021-21 financial year
1.67 crore additional person days allotted to the State in August
1.83 crore more person days allotted in November
23.50 crore: Total person days allotted to the State so far