In News :

Context :

• The Centre has allocated an additional 6 thousand 84 crore rupees to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, MGNREGA.
• With this the total allocation for the scheme has reached an all-time high of 61 thousand 84 Crore rupees.
• Over the last 4 years, the Ministry of Rural Development has completed major reforms in the MGNREGA to transform it into a resource for sustainable livelihoods for the poor.

Increasing Trend in the Budget Allocation :

• The Ministry said, there has been a remarkable increasing trend in the budget allocation and release for the programme from nearly 33 thousand crore rupees in 2014-15 to over 55 thousand crore rupees in 2017-18.
• It said, in the last four years MGNREGA has focused on creation of durable community and individual beneficiary assets, sustainable livelihoods and wage employment for the poor.
• The Ministry said, to ensure transparency, geo-tagging of assets, AADHAAR linking of Bank Accounts, DBT transfers for all wages, and material payments and Geographic Information System (GIS) based planning of works have been implemented.