Enacted in 2005, the existing law is one of India’s largest social security measures, aimed at ensuring the “right to work” for rural households by providing guaranteed unskilled manual labour. At present, MGNREGA offers 100 days of work at wage rates linked to state-level notifications, though activists have consistently flagged low wages, delayed payments, and severe underfunding.

Activists and several organisations have been demanding that the government raise NREGA wages to match state minimum wages, noting that the proposed Rs 240 per day remains below statutory minimum wages in many states, effectively institutionalising wage discrimination.

There has been a long standing demand to increase the overall budget substantially, as the programme regularly runs out of funds midway through the financial year, forcing states to halt work or delay wages. Another demand was to remove Aadhaar-linked payment barriers. Since January 1, 2024, ABPS has been made mandatory.