New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) The Central government has ruled out possibility of any disruption in the provision of wage employment to rural households under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) due to West Asian Conflict, an official statement said on Monday.

Further, as a preparedness step for Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G), the government said it is prioritising timely Direct Benefit Transfers, real‑time monitoring through AwaasSoft, geo‑tagging and accelerated completion of ongoing houses.

To achieve the target of “Housing for All” in rural areas, the Ministry is implementing Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G) for construction of 4.95 crore houses by March 2029.

Approximately Rs 17,744 crore is being released as the first instalment towards the wage component to ensure uninterrupted disbursal.

The statement from Ministry of Rural Development said the assurance of zero disruption followed a comprehensive review of preparedness measures to ensure uninterrupted implementation of major rural welfare and infrastructure programmes amid West Asian crisis.

It said that the programmes will be protected from possible impact on global supply chains, commodity prices and inflationary trends.

The Ministry is closely monitoring developments that may have indirect implications for rural livelihoods, housing construction, road development and watershed activities, and has put in place proactive mechanisms to maintain continuity of benefits, timely fund flow and smooth execution of ongoing schemes, the statement said.

All statutory entitlements, including demand-based employment and timely wage payments under MNREGA, continue in full force without any dilution. Existing Central Government-notified wage rates remain applicable.

Strong convergence support through man-days, sanitation, drinking water, LPG and electricity is being ensured so that beneficiaries receive a complete package of basic amenities under PMAY-G.

Under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV, around 12,100 km road works have been sanctioned and are currently at the tendering stage. Currently, the exposure to global volatility remains limited, as bitumen constitutes a relatively small share of total project cost, the ministry said.

–IANS

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