Record Women's Participation in MNREGS in UP | 27 Sep 2025

Why in News?

Women's participation in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) in Uttar Pradesh reached a record high of 42.31%, signalling a shift in rural economic dynamics and gender roles, despite challenges in sustaining employment.

Key Points

  • About: Women's participation in MNREGS in Uttar Pradesh reached a historic 42.31% in the 2025-26 fiscal year, slightly surpassing the previous high of 42.26% in 2023-24, after a dip to 41.87% in 2024-25.
  • National Average: Despite the record increase, women’s participation in MNREGS in Uttar Pradesh remains below the national average of 53%. Experts attribute this disparity to:
    • Systemic Constraints: Heavy manual work, lack of crèche facilities, and wage gaps.
    • Seasonal Employment Fluctuations: Delays in wage payments and job instability have discouraged sustained participation.
  • Factors Leading to Rise:
    • Economic Necessity: Rising household expenses, inflation, and limited job opportunities have driven more women to seek employment under MNREGS.
    • Shift in Rural Attitudes: There is a growing acceptance of women working in wage labour, which was once traditionally reserved for men.
    • Government Support: The UP government has been actively promoting women’s inclusion in self-help groups (SHGs) and rural livelihood missions, boosting women’s confidence to participate in MNREGS.
    • Post-Pandemic Migration: With more men migrating to urban areas for work post-Covid-19, women have increasingly filled the employment gap in rural areas.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

  • About:  The MGNREGA is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for social security aimed at providing guaranteed rural employment in India. 
    • It was enacted in 2005 under the Ministry of Rural Development as nodal ministry. 
  • Purpose: To provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment to registered adult rural households willing to undertake unskilled manual work. 
  • Coverage:  The scheme extends across the entire country, excluding districts with 100% urban populations. 
  • Demand-Driven Framework: Employment is provided on demand; if not granted within 15 days, workers are entitled to an unemployment allowance, which is one-fourth of the minimum wage for the first 30 days and half of the minimum wage thereafter. 
  • Decentralized Planning: The scheme emphasizes grassroots planning, with at least 50% of work executed by Gram Panchayats based on Gram Sabha recommendations. 
  • Fund Sharing: The Central Government covers 100% of unskilled labor costs and 75% of material costs, while State Governments contribute 25% of material costs, ensuring cooperative federalism in implementation. 
  • Wage Payment Mechanism: Wages are linked to state-specific Minimum Wage rates and paid directly to workers' bank or Aadhaar-linked accounts for transparency.  
    • Compensation for delayed payments is provided at 0.05% of unpaid wages per day, starting from the 16th day after the muster roll closure.