More than 3.02 lakh families in Madurai district have alleged that wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have not been paid since November 2025, triggering financial distress among rural households dependent on the scheme.
Workers said the prolonged delay has disrupted livelihoods across blocks, with several families relying solely on MGNREGA earnings to meet basic expenses. Under scheme norms, workers earn about ₹1,650 per week, while skilled workers receive up to ₹1,850 for six days of work, excluding Sundays and government holidays.
A woman worker from the Usilampatti block said she received her September wages only in the first week of November and has not been paid since. “This scheme is the main source of income for my family. Both my husband and I work under it. We are facing difficulties in running our household,” she said, adding that complaints to the block development officer (BDO) yielded no clear response.
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A BDO, speaking on condition of anonymity, said wages are released only after weekly reports are uploaded on the NREGA application every Wednesday night, followed by work allotment and verification. However, he admitted that the process often does not function as prescribed. Wages are credited automatically only after both the state and central government shares are released.
A senior MGNREGA official said ₹188 crore was disbursed in the district between April 1 and November 12, 2025, noting that delays of up to four months had occurred last year as well.
District Rural Development Agency project director G Vanathi attributed the delay to the late release of the Centre’s share, adding that the issue is being reported across Tamil Nadu.
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