MGNREGA Job Card — Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Guide
MGNREGA guarantees 100 days of paid manual work to every rural household. Learn how to apply for a job card, the wage rate, types of work, and grievance redressal.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) is the largest employment guarantee scheme in the world. It legally guarantees 100 days of unskilled manual work per year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer. The scheme is implemented by Gram Panchayats with funding from the central government.
Eligibility
Every adult member of a rural household above 18 is eligible to apply for a job card. There is no income or caste criterion. Each household is issued a single Job Card with photos of all eligible adult members.
How to apply for a Job Card
Submit a written application to the Gram Panchayat or local MGNREGA office. Include household details, names of adult members, Aadhaar numbers, and bank account details (with IFSC). The Gram Panchayat issues the Job Card within 15 days.
Documents required
- Aadhaar of all adult household members
- Recent photographs of all adult members
- Address proof
- Bank account passbook (preferably joint account for the household)
- Application form signed by an adult household member
How to demand work
Once the Job Card is issued, any adult member can apply for work by submitting a written demand (or oral demand registered by the Panchayat) for a specific period. Work must be provided within 15 days. If work is not provided within 15 days, the household is entitled to an unemployment allowance.
Wage rate
Wage rates vary by state and are notified annually by the central government based on the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labour. As of 2026, wages range from ₹240 to ₹360 per day depending on the state. Wages are paid directly to the worker's bank account within 15 days of work completion through DBT.
Types of work undertaken
- Water conservation — wells, tanks, ponds, check dams
- Drought proofing — afforestation, tree plantation
- Irrigation works — minor irrigation, canal works
- Land development — bunds, terraces
- Flood control — drainage, embankments
- Rural connectivity — village roads, culverts
- Sanitation — toilets, soak pits
- Cattle sheds, poultry sheds, farm ponds on individual lands
Worker rights
- Right to demand work within 5 km of residence
- Right to unemployment allowance if work not provided in 15 days
- Right to wages paid within 15 days of work completion
- Right to medical aid if injured at site
- Right to crèche for children under 6 if 5 or more women workers at site
- Right to view records under RTI without filing application
- Right to social audit
Grievance redressal
Workers can file grievances with the Gram Panchayat, Block Programme Officer, District Programme Coordinator, or through the central NREGA Soft portal (nrega.nic.in). The Ombudsperson at the district level handles complaints under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Tracking work history online
The NREGA Soft portal allows any citizen to view individual work history, wage payments, and work registration. Enter the state, district, Panchayat and Job Card number to view all transactions. This transparency is a key feature of the scheme.
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