What this scheme offers
Unlike most schemes, MGNREGA is a legal entitlement, not a discretionary benefit — under the 2005 Act, any rural household whose adult members register and demand unskilled manual work must be given that work within 15 days, or the state owes an unemployment allowance instead. Work typically involves building durable rural assets — ponds, roads, canals, wells and land development — and must be offered within 5 km of the applicant's residence (or extra travel allowance is paid). Wages are state-specific and paid via Direct Benefit Transfer within 15 days of the work being done, with equal pay for men and women.
Who is eligible
- Any adult (18+) member of a rural household, willing to do unskilled manual labour.
- Covers all rural districts of India except those that are entirely urban.
- No income limit — eligibility is based on willingness to do the work, not poverty status.
- Every adult household member who registers gets an individual entry on the household's Job Card.
Documents required
- Aadhaar card of all adult household members
- Proof of residence
- Bank or post office account details (Aadhaar-linked, for DBT wage payment)
- Passport-size photographs
How to apply
- Visit your Gram Panchayat and submit an application for a Job Card, with Aadhaar, address proof and photos of all willing adult household members — this is free.
- You can also register online via the NREGA portal or the UMANG app.
- The Job Card, listing all registered household members, must be issued within 15 days.
- To demand work, submit a written (or oral, recorded as Form 6) request to the Gram Panchayat — this starts the 15-day clock for work to be provided.
- If work isn't provided within 15 days, you're entitled to file for an unemployment allowance at the Block Programme Officer.
- Wages are credited directly to your linked bank account within 15 days of completing the work; track payments and job card details at nrega.nic.in.