MGNREGA
The 2005 law guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment a year to rural households doing unskilled manual work.
Verified references:Wikipedia
On UPSC.wiki
Current affairsMoPR–CESL MoU: Panchayat Land to Host EV Charging Stations for Rural Clean MobilityThe Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) and Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 30 October 2026 to establish electric vehicle (EV) charging and battery-swapping stations on Panchayat land across India. The initiative aims to advance rural clean mobility while generating Own Source Revenue (OSR) for Gram, Block, and District Panchayats. Current affairsWorld Bank Poverty and Equity Brief October 2026: India Lifted 496 Million from Poverty — One of the Fastest Declines GloballyThe World Bank's October 2026 Poverty and Equity Brief reports that India lifted an estimated 496 million people out of poverty between 2011 and 2023, with the share living in extreme poverty falling from 27.1% to 2.6% — described as one of the fastest poverty declines in the world. The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) fell from 53.8% (2005–06) to 16.4% (2019–21), though wage stagnation and geographic concentration of poverty in eastern India remain key challenges. Current affairsVB-G RAM G Act 2026: India's New Rural Employment Guarantee Replacing MGNREGA — Key Features, Controversy and UPSC AnalysisThe Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 — VB-G RAM G Act — replaced MGNREGA from July 1, 2026, guaranteeing 125 days of rural employment per year at a minimum wage of ₹300 per day, with a record Central allocation of ₹95,692 crore for FY 2026-27. Over 31.69 crore person-days were generated in the Act's first quarter of implementation. Current affairsPM Samajik Sahayata Yojana: Cabinet Renames NSAP, Expands Disability Coverage — ₹53,428 Crore for 2026–31The Union Cabinet approved on October 14, 2026 (PIB PRID: 2323264) the continuation and restructuring of NSAP as Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana for FY 2026-27 to 2030-31, with ₹53,428 crore outlay. The key substantive change is a major disability pension reform: eligibility threshold reduced from 80% to 40% benchmark disability (aligning with RPwD Act 2016), age floor removed from 18 years to birth, and pension amounts increased by 25%. Old-age and widow pension rates remain unchanged. Current affairsPLFS September 2026: India's Labour Force Participation Rate Rises to 55.5%, Unemployment Steady at 5%The National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Monthly Bulletin for September 2026 on October 15, 2026. The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) rose by 0.2 percentage points year-on-year to 55.5%, while the overall unemployment rate remained steady at 5.0% — indicating stable labour market conditions ahead of the festive season. Current affairsChhattisgarh Tops Nation in Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) 3.0: Water Conservation Model and Its Governance LessonsChhattisgarh secured first position nationally in Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) 3.0 — completing 77,719 out of 79,775 registered water conservation structures under the Ministry of Jal Shakti's Catch the Rain campaign. Five Chhattisgarh districts feature among India's top-10 districts for water conservation, and the state's innovative "5% Model" (voluntary farm land allocation for groundwater recharge in Koriya district) has been highlighted as a national best practice. Current affairsUNCCD COP17 Ulaanbaatar 2026: "Restoring Land. Restoring Hope." — India, Land Degradation Neutrality, and the Global Desertification CrisisThe 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) concluded in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (17–28 August 2026) under the theme "Restoring Land. Restoring Hope." The conference focused on converting land pledges into finance and action, amid warnings that 77% of Mongolia's land is already degraded and global dryland degradation threatens 2 billion people. Current affairsMission Samriddh Gaon: Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Convergence Model for Poverty-Free, Employment-Rich VillagesUnion Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Mission Samriddh Gaon to develop "poverty-free, employment-rich villages" through the convergence of multiple government schemes, with pilot projects in two Madhya Pradesh blocks — Budni (Sehore district) and Khategaon (Dewas district) — to be scaled nationally upon success. Current affairsOdisha Coastal Erosion 2026: NCCR Assessment — 28.3% of Coastline Eroding, 16 Villages Submerged in KendraparaA National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) assessment of Odisha's 564-km coastline (1990-2022) found 28.3% under active erosion — Jagatsinghpur (47.6%), Ganjam (45.7%), and Kendrapara (45.0%) are worst-affected districts. Sixteen villages in Kendrapara have been submerged. Intensifying cyclones, sea-level rise, and breakwater disruption of sediment drift are the primary drivers, threatening Olive Ridley turtle nesting grounds and coastal livelihoods.
In previous-year questions
- The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, a key component of Mission Samriddh Gaon's convergence basket, mandates that what percentage of MGNREGS work must be in agriculture and allied activities (including water conservation, farm ponds and afforestation)?UPSC · Current Affairs
- In the PLFS September 2026 data, India's rural female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) rose to 38.9% — 1.0 percentage point higher than September 2025. Which of the following government schemes is most directly credited with driving rural female LFPR improvement in India?UPSC · Current Affairs
- India's PLFS September 2026 data shows the overall unemployment rate at 5.0% with male unemployment at 4.9% and female unemployment at 5.2%. Which Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP) under the Indian Constitution specifically directs the State to secure the right to work and make provisions for unemployment assistance?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G Act) replaced which legislation from July 1, 2026, guaranteeing 125 days of rural employment per year at a minimum wage of ₹300 per day?UPSC · Current Affairs
- Under the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 (India's rural employment guarantee that replaced MGNREGA from July 2026), the funding pattern for North-Eastern and Himalayan states is:UPSC · Current Affairs
- Consider the following statements about the transition from MGNREGA to the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025: 1. Existing e-KYC verified MGNREGA job cards remain valid until December 31, 2026. 2. The VB-G RAM G Act came into force on April 1, 2026. 3. The Central budget allocation for FY 2026-27 under the Act is ₹95,692.31 crore. Which of the above is/are correct?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 replaced MGNREGA from July 1, 2026. Which of the following is the primary legal distinction between MGNREGA and the VB-G RAM G Act?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 (replacing MGNREGA from July 2026) drew on which Directive Principles of State Policy for its constitutional legitimacy?UPSC · Current Affairs