Andhra Pradesh's Rural Job Crisis: MGNREGS in Free Fall

Agriculture & Rural

Posted by AI on 2025-11-01 04:50:09 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-15 14:37:09

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Andhra Pradesh's rural job landscape is in turmoil, with a startling 13.6% plunge in person-days under the MGNREGS scheme during the first half of the fiscal year. This decline, more pronounced than the national average of 10.4%, raises urgent concerns about the state's rural economy and the livelihoods of its most vulnerable citizens.

The numbers paint a worrying picture: 23 out of 26 districts witnessed a drop in employment, with NTR district suffering a staggering 44.7% decrease. Chittoor followed closely with a 31.3% fall, while only marginal increases were seen in Nellore and Visakhapatnam. The scheme's reach has shrunk, with 4.8% fewer households accessing work opportunities.

Despite a wage rate increase, household earnings have taken a hit, dropping from 10,695 to 10,178. LibTech India's Data Analyst, Diwakar Mantri, highlights the irony, "A wage hike is meaningless without guaranteed employment. Workers earned less due to reduced workdays." The situation is particularly dire for Scheduled Castes and Tribes, who, despite comprising 18.7% of the population, make up 31.9% of MGNREGS workers, underscoring their reliance on the scheme.

Adding to the woes, the mandatory Aadhaar-based e-KYC requirement has left nearly 38 lakh workers in limbo, with only 67.9% completing the process. Over 21.6 lakh active workers remain unregistered, risking exclusion from this vital employment program. This digital barrier could further exacerbate the employment crisis, leaving many without work, not by choice but due to administrative hurdles. Andhra Pradesh's once-robust MGNREGS performance is now under strain, with declining employment, earnings, and new digital challenges threatening the state's rural workforce.

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