Enrol MNREGA workers under social security schemes: Govt to states

Celebrating one year in office, the NDA government has asked states to enrol all MNREGA workers under the three newly-launched social security schemes and open bank accounts for each worker under the Jan Dhan Yojana.

In a communication sent to all states, including Congress-ruled Kerala, the Union Rural Development Ministry has asked them to disburse MNREGA wage payment through the banking network operated by banking correspondents wherever functional banking correspondents are deployed by the banks.

The note says the decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Principal Secretary to PM, Nripendra Misra, on May 15, within a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the schemes – Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY). 

The government's decision to enrol all MNREGA workers under the schemes is aimed at widening the scope of these programmes for empowering the poor and marginalised in the country.

Over 3.6 crore households in the country were provided employment under MNREGA. PMSBY will offer renewable one-year accidental death-cum-disability cover of Rs 2 lakh for partial or permanent disability to all savings bank account holders in the age group of 18-70 years for a premium of Rs 12 per annum per subscriber.