Households with job cards under the scheme have secured an average 35 days of employment in the first six months this year. The scheme provides for up to 100 days’ paid, unskilled labour a year to every rural household. In the previous financial year, the job scheme generated 268 crore person-days against a projected 256 crore person-days. In 2017-18, the scheme generated 234 crore person-days of work, providing an average employment of 46 days to households. The rural development ministry later sought an additional Rs 21,000 crore but the finance ministry released only Rs 6,000 crore, which hamstrung wage payments.

Source: The Telegraph October 09, 2019 23:26 UTC