A case for extension: On rural jobs plan

The finding that 8.4 lakh poor homes have finished a minimum of 80 days of the 100- day limit for work under the MGNREGS and 1.4 lakh among those have actually completed the full quota, need to come as not a surprise. While these numbers are a portion of the 4.6 crore families which have actually taken advantage of MGNREGS this year, the fact that numerous poor households have nearly finished their complete quota of employment under the plan in simply the last 2 months (May-June 2020) is a reflection of the distress that has driven them to take option to it. With the economy reeling after extended lockdowns following the COVID-19 pandemic and migrant labourers losing jobs in city areas and returning to their rural homes to prevent destitution, the plan ha