Nearly 60% of MGNREGS budget already spent in first 5 months of financial year

Nearly 60% of the budget allocated for the Union Government’s flagship rural employment programme — Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) — has been exhausted with a month still to go for the second quarter to end. As per the data available with the Ministry of Rural Development, which administers the programme, ₹51,521 crore out of ₹86,000 crore earmarked in the 2025-26 Union Budget has been spent till date.

The Finance Ministry recently capped spending under the programme at 60% of its annual allocation for the first half of the financial year 2025–26. The government thus will be left with ₹79 crore under the programme for the month of September. There are 12.15 crore active workers who rely on the programme to supplement their household’s income.

Nearly 60% of MGNREGS budget already spent in first 5 months of financial year

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