Centre Clears 150 MGNREGA Person-Days For J&K, LG Sinha Welcomes Decision

The Union government has approved a significant increase in the number of person-days available under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for Jammu and Kashmir, raising the limit to 150 days. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha hailed the decision as a timely intervention for communities affected by natural disasters.

According to officials, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had earlier advised that households in areas hit by floods, cloudbursts and landslides should receive an additional 50 days of employment beyond the standard 100 days mandated under MGNREGA. This recommendation pertains to the 2025–26 financial year.

An official statement noted that the Union territory is likely to witness higher demand for employment in public works because of recurring natural calamities. In response, the Centre has agreed to provide “up to 50 days of additional employment over and above the 100 days per household” specifically for the impacted rural regions of Jammu and Kashmir during FY 2025–26.

Expressing appreciation for the approval, Sinha said he was thankful to the country’s leadership. “I'm grateful to PM Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan for increasing number of person-days provided under MGNREGA to 150 days for J-K to enhance livelihood security in rural areas affected by natural calamity,” he wrote on X late Friday.

The lieutenant governor highlighted that 1,962 panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir were declared “flood-affected”, severely disrupting the livelihoods of residents. He added that the administration had appealed for special relief from the Centre. “Special relief was sought from the government of India, and today's decision will ensure stable income to vulnerable rural households, relieve the families from economic distress and create durable assets," Sinha said.

With PTI inputs