Putting to rest doubts about the continuation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Saturday announced an initial allocation of Rs.34,699 crore for the programme.
In addition, the minister said he would allocate an additional Rs.5,000 crore to MGNREGS if he gets more revenue due to tax buoyancy.
The MGNREGS was allocated Rs 32,464 crore last financial year.
"Our government is committed to supporting employment through MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). We will ensure that no one who is poor is left without employment," Jaitley said in his budget speech.
"We will focus on improving the quality and effectiveness of activities under MGNREGA. I have made an initial allocation of Rs.34,699 crore for the programme," he said.
"I hope to garner some additional resources during the year from tax buoyancy. If I am successful then, over and above the budgetary allocation, I will endeavour to enhance allocations to MGNREGA by Rs.5,000 crore," he said.
The budget for the rural development ministry has been hiked from Rs.68,204 crore in 2014-15 to Rs.71,695 crore in 2015-16.