India's VB-G RAM G Job Scheme Sees 49.94% July Employment Drop to 7.67 Crore Person-Days
Updated
Updated · The Indian Express · Aug 10
India's VB-G RAM G Job Scheme Sees 49.94% July Employment Drop to 7.67 Crore Person-Days
2 articles · Updated · The Indian Express · Aug 10
Summary
Official data showed the new rural jobs scheme generated 7.67 crore person-days in July, down from 15.33 crore a year earlier after it replaced MGNREGS on July 1.
Household participation also fell 51.45% to 68.94 lakh, with both person-days and households at their lowest July levels in five years.
One likely driver is a new rule letting states pause work for up to 60 days during peak sowing and harvesting seasons under the revamped programme.
The slump comes as rural stress is rising: half of India's 741 districts had deficient to severely deficient rainfall between June 1 and August 3, and kharif crop coverage was down 26.5% year on year by July 31.
The government said the transition was smooth and that more than 98% of households demanding work were offered employment.