MNREGA extra workdays for forest rights holders remain unimplemented

A response to a Right to Information query has exposed a significant gap in the implementation of MNREGA's enhanced employment guarantee for holders of Forest Rights Act titles. According to the RTI reply, no official order has been issued at the central level to operationalise the provision for the extra 50 workdays, despite the scheme's framework mandating this entitlement for eligible beneficiaries.

The Forest Rights Act, 2006, recognised the forest-dependent communities' traditional rights over forest resources. Subsequent amendments to MNREGA were intended to provide these title holders with an additional 50 days of guaranteed employment beyond the standard 100 days, bringing their total entitlement to 150 days annually. However, the absence of a formal implementation directive suggests the provision has remained largely dormant.

The gap between policy design and ground-level implementation has raised concerns among civil society organisations working on forest rights. Without clear administrative orders and guidelines, state governments and implementing agencies lack the framework to systematically identify eligible beneficiaries and disburse the additional workdays.

This implementation challenge underscores broader questions about the coordination between rural employment schemes and land rights programmes. Officials attributed the delay to administrative complexities in verifying FRA title holders across different states, though critics argue adequate resources have not been allocated to resolve these bottlenecks.

The revelation comes as questions mount over the effectiveness of targeted provisions within MNREGA. Stakeholders have called for the Ministry of Rural Development to issue clear directives to ensure this vulnerable group receives the employment guarantee promised under law.