Agartala, March 25, 2025: Addressing unstarred questions raised by the opposition on the third day of the assembly session, Tripura Chief Minister and Minister in charge of the Rural Development Department, Manik Saha, provided key figures on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme in the state. He informed the assembly that 6,91,112 job card holders are currently registered under the scheme across Tripura.
Elaborating on the district-wise distribution, CM Saha stated that the Dhalai district accounts for 97,197 job card holders, followed by 1,01,208 in Gomti, 74,969 in Khowai, 81,539 in North Tripura, 85,638 in Sepahijala, 97,826 in South Tripura, 58,420 in Unakoti, and 94,560 in West Tripura.
Refuting claims about budget allocation based on average working days, the Chief Minister clarified, “The central government does not allocate budget to any state based on the average working days under MGNREGA. In the financial year 2023-24, the state received an allocation of 3.75 crore working days, while for 2024-25, the budget stands at 3 crore labour days.”
However, he highlighted that despite the sanctioned budget for 3 crore labour days, Tripura has already generated 3.40 crore labour days as of February 15, 2025. The state has formally requested the central government for an increase in the labour budget to meet the rising demand.
Discussing employment trends, Saha revealed, “In the financial year 2023-24, an average of 61 labour days per card were recorded, whereas in 2024-25, the figure stood at 58 days so far.” He also assured that worker wages are being directly transferred to bank accounts, with ₹756.73 crore already disbursed to approximately 8 lakh workers. However, he pointed out a pending fund transfer, stating, “₹87.26 crore for about 67,000 workers has not yet been cleared by the central government. We expect all outstanding payments to be settled by April 2025.”
Highlighting the demand-driven nature of the scheme, the Chief Minister asserted, “Under MGNREGA, workers are entitled to employment within 15 days of request.” He also noted a remarkable achievement, stating, “This year, 58,502 families in Tripura have successfully completed 100 days of work or more under the scheme.”
Additionally, Saha emphasized the state government’s commitment to employment generation, ensuring new job cards are continuously issued to eligible individuals to prevent unemployment.
The government’s efforts to secure additional budgetary support and streamline wage payments are expected to bolster rural employment in Tripura, reinforcing the state’s commitment to social welfare and economic stability.
