BUDGET MUST GIVE A FISCAL STIMULUS WITHOUT ROLLING BACK MGNREGS, PDS HIKES DURING THE PANDEMIC

Since April, only 55% of those who demanded work under the programme were able to get it. 98% of those who got work said they would like to work for more days if work was available. At the national level, the MGNREGS database indicates an unmet demand of 13%. To be sure, official figures of unmet demand under MGNREGS have been questioned in the past. The survey also asked urban respondents if they would consider working in an urban employment guarantee scheme. 51% (going up to 67% among casual workers) answered in the affirmative.

The findings from the CPHS-CMIE survey reported in the first part underlined the need for an overall fiscal stimulus to boost jobs and incomes. The APU survey shows that any such stimulus should not roll back the hikes in MGNREGS and PDS spending announced during the pandemic. If anything, there is a need to increase this. In addition, an urban employment guarantee programme should be considered.

Paaritosh Nath and S Nelson Mandela are Research Fellows at Azim Premji University. Aishwarya Gawali is a Research Associate at Azim Premji University