PATNA, Dec. 3 -- The rural development department (RDD) has started accelerating the creation of higher mandays under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNREGS) as the job works for unskilled poor from weaker sections has witnessed a bit of slowdown in last few months owing to the rainy season and recently concluded elections in Bihar, officials in the department said. Though the annual target of MGNREGS for this fiscal year 2025-26 is 21 crore mandays, the RDD has generated only 16.5 crore mandays till date, which is much lower than last year. Officials said the target of annual mandays ( based on the earth work) in last fiscal year was around 25 crore due to high generation of works given to job card holders in the state. "The creation of higher mandays is our focus now in next few months. There has been a bit of slowdown due to the rainy season and elections . We hope to meet the target of 21 crore mandays for this fiscal but there is not going to be demand for increasing the target unlike last fiscal year," said a RDD official, in know of the matter, In the last few years, creation of mandays under the rural job scheme for unskilled workers has witnessed an upswing with the government focussing on creating mandays for asset creation and giving impetus to infrastructure projects. The job scheme has been one of key main vehicles to check migration of workers to different states from the rural parts. RDD urges centre to relax SNA-SPARSH fund flow system for central schemes till March 31. Meanwhile, in another important development, the RDD has written a letter to the union rural development ministry for temporary relaxation in the mandatory implementation of the SNA-SPARSH (real time system of integrated quick transfers) fund flow mechanism till 31st March, 2026 so that fund disbursements under MGNREGS and PMAY(G) could be done smoothly till the end of the fiscal year. A letter in this regard was sent by state RDD minister Shravan Kumar a few days back, sources said. Officials said the SNA-SPARSH fund flow system is a new system where the disbursements are to be done from the centre through E Kuber platform of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and several modalities involved including transactions from the state treasury. In Bihar, the central funds under centrally sponsored schemes till now are being handled through old systems by the state finance department. "There are technical hiccups in the new SNA-SPARSH system which may block the funds for a while under the MGNREGS and PMAY(G). This is why, the state finance department and RDD have urged the rural ministry to relax the new system till March 31st," said another RDD officials. In the letter sent by the RDD, it has been mentioned that the disbursement of around Rs.4,491 crore under PMAY(G) as central share for giving first and second instalments to beneficiaries of the housing scheme for rural poor is set to be affected due to the new implementation of the SNA-SPARSH fund flow system. Besides, under MGNREGS, there is a liability of Rs.3,200 crore under various heads for the year 2025-26 including material costs reimbursements but the disbursements have not been made and could get further delayed due to the new system of fund flow from the centre. "Fund disbursements from the centre under the centrally sponsored scheme (CSE) is crucial for smooth implementation of MGNREGS and PMAY(G). The delay in fund disbursement would affect the schemes in coming months," said another RDD official. However, secretary RDD Lokesh Kumar Singh said the central disbursements under MGNREGS including material costs have come in recent months and there is no shortage of funds . "Under wages, the centre gives the disbursements as per the demand . There is some liability . But we have received around disbursements in this head too recently, Efforts are being made for getting the other disbursements," said Singh. He said that the finance department has taken up the matter with the centre regarding the SPARSH fund flow system and the matter would be resolved soon. Besides, the secretary, RDD said the creation of mandays under MGNREGS usually gains momentum from November onwards and this year, the target would be achieved . "There is always some slowdown during rainy season but the works gain momentum from October-November onwards as it's the ideal time for earth works. Works have already gained momentum under the scheme," he said...