The Government has made a provision of ₹ 40,000 crore under MGNREGA Scheme through Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package (ANBP) to provide employment to the needy workers, in addition to allocation of ₹ 61,500 crore under MGNREGA for Financial Year 2020-21. This was stated by Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP), the Government paid 12% employers’ share and 12% employees’ share under Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), totalling 24% for three wage months from March to May, 2020 for all the establishments

having up to 100 employees with 90% of such employees earning less than ₹ 15,000 monthly wage. The package was extended for another 3 wage months i.e., for the wage months of June to August, 2020 under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package.

Further, funds for self-employed groups has been provided under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), the Minister stated.

MGNREGA fund allocation under relief package expands employment support; EPF contributions covered for eligible establishments. The Government allocated additional funds under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package to supplement the MGNREGA allocation for the financial year to provide employment to needy workers. Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package the Government covered both employer and employee components of the Employees' Provident Fund contribution for eligible establishments and extended that support under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package; funds for self-employed groups were provided under the National Rural Livelihood Mission.