Table of Contents
MGNREGA — 100 days unskilled work guaranteed in rural India (2026)
100 days of guaranteed unskilled work per household per year. Wage Rs 250-380/day (state-notified). Payment within 15 days.
Launched: 2005 · Issued by: Ministry of Rural Development
Who is eligible
- Adult member (18+) of rural household
- Willing to do unskilled manual work
- No restriction on caste / income / gender
- Aadhaar + bank account (Aadhaar-linked)
What you get
100 days of work per year per household at notified state wage. Wage Rs 250-380/day (varies by state, 2025-26). Compensation 0.05%/day for delayed wages. Unemployment allowance if work not provided in 15 days.
How to apply (step-by-step)
- Apply at Gram Panchayat for job card — Free; statutory deadline 15 days for issuance.
- Demand work via Form 6 — Submit to Panchayat; written or oral with acknowledgement.
- Work begins within 15 days — If not — unemployment allowance payable.
- Daily attendance via NMMS app — Photo + biometric at worksite.
- Wage credited within 15 days of work completion — Aadhaar-linked bank account.
Documents needed
- Aadhaar (each adult)
- Bank account (Aadhaar-linked)
- Photographs of family adults
Full document checklist: Documents required for mgnrega job card
Timeline
Job card: 15 days of application. Work: 15 days of demand. Wage: 15 days of completion.
Portal + helpline
- Official portal: nrega.nic.in
- Helpline: MGNREGA: 1800-345-22-44 (varies by state)
- Track status: How to check status
- Step-by-step apply guide: How-to-apply walkthrough
Common issues
- Job card refused by Panchayat — file complaint at BPO + RTI; cite MGNREGA §3.
- Work demanded but not provided — unemployment allowance owed; file claim.
- Wage delayed > 15 days — compensation 0.05%/day owed.
- Worksite > 5 km — entitled to 10% extra wage as travel.
Benefit delayed or rejected? File an RTI
Most “delays” or “rejections” clear within 7-15 days of an RTI being filed. Use this 5-question template:
1. Status of my application no. _____ dated _____ as on date. 2. Name + designation of dealing officer assigned to my file. 3. Reasons for delay beyond the statutory timeline. 4. Copy of any noting / movement of my file in the past 30 days. 5. Likely date of disbursement / decision.
Auto-fill the PIO + your case: Open the AI RTI Drafter →
More schemes for you: All unorganised workers schemes
Frequently asked questions
Per person or per household?
Per household — 100 days for the family combined.
Can men + women work?
Yes — equal wage. At least 33% allocation to women under §6.
Wage delayed beyond 15 days?
File RTI to Programme Officer + Panchayat Sachiv. Compensation owed.
Skilled work eligibility?
No — only unskilled manual. Skilled at higher rate but only for trained workers (10% of total).
Summary + next step
Bottom line: 100 days of guaranteed unskilled work per household per year. Wage Rs 250-380/day (state-notified). Payment within 15 days. Apply at nrega.nic.in. If delayed beyond timeline, file an RTI — most cases clear within 15 days.
- Apply now: nrega.nic.in
- Step-by-step guide: Apply walkthrough
- Documents needed: Required documents
- Track existing application: Status check
- If delayed — RTI Drafter: File RTI in 5 minutes
- Browse all 150 yojanas: Sarkari Yojana index
Related
Sources
- Official portal: nrega.nic.in
- Issued by: Ministry of Rural Development
- Launched: 2005
- Citizen feedback via %%AwaazRTI%% (composite, identifying details removed)
Last reviewed: 26 April 2026.

