Covid-19: Demand for work under MGNREGA sees steep rise in 116 districts

Demand for work under the MGNREGA rose by more than 86 per cent in May this year compared to the same period in 2019 in 116 districts, which saw the highest number of migrants return during the Covid-19 lockdown, as per official data.

The number of households availing work under the national employment guarantee scheme in these 116 districts in six states, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, jumped to 8.9 million during May compared to 4.8 million in the same month last year, a rise of 86.3 per cent, according to data on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee