50 days extra work under MNREGA for drought-hit AP, TN: Govt

The Rural Development Ministry today said it has allowed additional employment of 50 days over and above 100 days given under MNREGA in notified drought-affected districts of Andhra Pradesh and entire Tamil Nadu.

"The Centre is always ready to help the states in these crisis situation. Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have approached us, so we have asked them to give additional employment of 50 days to poor in these two drought-affected states," Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), a flagship programme is a demand-driven employment scheme. Not less than 100 days of employment are provided to registered workers upon receipt of their demand.

It provides supplementary means of livelihood to people in rural areas, primarily during lean periods.

Congress has alleged that the scheme was being stifled by the NDA government which has denied the charge.

The Centre has also announced additional employment over and above 100 days per household to up to 150 days in notified drought-affected districts in various states of the country.

Assets created under MNREGA included works related to natural resource management such as water conservation, land development and irrigation. Besides these, dams, irrigations channels, check dams, ponds, wells and Aanganwadi assets were also constructed under the scheme.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)