Overview
- The new law reorients works toward durable assets tied to water security, climate resilience and livelihood infrastructure, which proponents describe as an evidence-based update.
- Financing moves to a 60:40 Centre–State cost share for most states, with a 90:10 ratio for Northeastern and Himalayan states and Jammu and Kashmir.
- States may pre-notify up to 60 aggregated days each year during sowing and harvest when scheme works will pause to align labour supply with farm cycles.
- The statutory unemployment allowance for not providing work within 15 days is retained, alongside provisions for tighter digital monitoring and faster payments.
- Opposition leaders and analysts warn that state burdens and Centre-set normative allocations could curb access, noting MGNREGA delivered an average of about 48 workdays over the past five years and 36 so far this year.