PM Awas, Jal Jeevan to create rural jobs, justify MGNREGS cut: CEA

The CEA also said that as nominal and real GDP growth improve, many more urban jobs will be created and that will also absorb more of the rural workforce

The Centre’s push towards rural housing and water supply infrastructure will lead to the kind of job creation in rural areas that justifies lesser allocation to its flagship rural employment guarantee scheme, Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V Ananta Nageswaran said on Monday.

While the government had the political capital to carry out ambitious divestment, unfavourable market conditions and investor interest played a part in the targets not being met, the CEA said.

“One of the reasons why allocation for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) was lowered is because there is a much larger substantive increase in allocation, particularly