India, Jan. 17 -- 500 crore package launched to ensure timely, uninterrupted wage payment under MGNREGA and check migration of labour

Residents of 20 vulnerable blocks in four Odisha districts will be allowed employment for 200 days in a year under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), as part of a special Rs 500 crore package announced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Wages under MGNREGA will be given to the inhabitants of the blocks located at Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada and Kalahandi districts that will be at par with Odisha's minimum wage meant for unskilled workers, Patnaik said on January 15, 2020.

Currently, the national average wage of a MGNREGA worker is Rs 178. The minimum wage of a MGNREGA wor...