In a move aimed at improving income support for rural workers, the Goa Government has officially notified an increase in the daily wage rate under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The revised wage for unskilled manual labour has been enhanced from Rs 356 to Rs 378 per day, with effect from April 1, 2025. The notification was issued by the State Rural Development Department, aligning Goa with the revised wage rates announced by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India in March 2025. All registered jobseekers employed under the MGNREGA scheme in the state will now be entitled to receive the updated daily wage.
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“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 6 of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005, the Central Government has enhanced the wage rate from Rs 356 to Rs 378 per day to the job seekers for unskilled manual work for the State of Goa. In view of the above enhancement of wages under MGNREGA for the State of Goa, the wage rate of Rs 356 to be read as Rs 378 per day for jobseekers for unskilled manual work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with effect from 1st April, 2025,” the notification said. The MGNREGA, enacted in 2005, is a landmark rural employment scheme that guarantees 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
The scheme is not only a poverty alleviation program but also aims to create durable assets in rural areas such as roads, ponds, and canals.
Wage rates under the scheme are revised annually by the central government based on the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL). State governments are responsible for notifying and implementing these revised rates locally. The enhancement in wage rates is expected to provide some relief amid rising inflation and cost of living, and will benefit thousands of rural workers across Goa who depend on MGNREGA for supplementary income and livelihood security. This wage revision also reflects a broader national effort to ensure that welfare schemes remain relevant and responsive to economic changes.
