Mon Mar 31 18:38:36 UTC 2025: ## BJP Leader’s Claim on MGNREGS Funding for Tamil Nadu Challenged

**Chennai, April 1, 2025** – A recent tweet by BJP State president K. Annamalai questioning the lower MGNREGS funding for Tamil Nadu compared to more populous states has been met with criticism. Experts point out that population is not a factor in fund allocation for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

The central government has repeatedly stated that MGNREGS is a “demand-driven” scheme, with funds released based on the state’s demand for work. This was reiterated in a Rajya Sabha response on March 28th by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, clarifying that fund allocation is an ongoing process based on ground-level demand. This is further supported by a 2014 notification outlining the scheme’s core objective: providing at least 100 days of unskilled manual work per household based on demand.

Figures released show that Tamil Nadu received substantial funding over the past three years: ₹7,358.88 crore (2021-22), ₹7,469 crore (2022-23), and ₹10,191.64 crore (2023-24). As of March 31st, 2025, the state had received ₹5,541 crore for 2024-25, with an estimated ₹3,050 crore in arrears. In total, Tamil Nadu received approximately ₹30,560 crore since 2021-22. This contradicts Annamalai’s assertion.

Read More