The Central Government has announced an increase in MGNREGA wages for 2025“26, raising the national average from Rs 349 to Rs 370 per day. But is that all? Can anyone survive on Rs 370 a day in today’s India? The government should fix a uniform wage of at least Rs 800 per day for all states, ensuring dignity and fair compensation for those who toil under the sun. While private labourers in Goa and elsewhere earn much more, MGNREGA workers”who get no PF, DA, TA, medical benefits, or pension”are left struggling. Why should those who sweat earn less than those who sit at desks? If equality matters, let labourers get government-level salaries and officers earn MGNREGA wages for a change!This token hike is no “assistance.” Real relief comes only when the poorest earn enough to live with dignity. The government must revise its wage policy to reflect the true cost of living and respect the hard work of rural India.
