NRM works get lion’s share of MNREGS budget in UP | Lucknow News

Lucknow: Works related to natural resource management (NRM) have bagged the lion’s share of the budget allocated under Centre’s flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) in UP in the ongoing 2025-26 fiscal, the latest report of the rural development department shows.According to the work progress and performance analysis report of the department, construction of earthen peripheral/farm/field bund for the community has attained the highest priority of the state govt. This area has witnessed a spending of over Rs 256 crore, which is around 13.2% of the total over Rs 1,941 crore spent under MNREGS till date in the ongoing fiscal. The state has already carried out 44,513 works under the head in the first five months.MNREGS has also been instrumental in building community water harvesting ponds. Under this, the state govt carried out 18572 works at a cost of around Rs 250.5 crore, which was 12.91% of the total spending.The third key area where works have been carried out under MNREGS is levelling/shaping of waste land for the community. Data shows that the state govt carried out 46,722 works under this head at an estimated cost of around Rs 241 crore, which is 12.41% of the total. In 2024-25, this area topped the priority of the govt, witnessing a maximum of 15.56% of the total expenditure.Together, these three key works alone have accounted for 38% of total MNREGS spending, showing a clear priority toward land and water conservation.This is consistent with MNREGS’s original vision of linking wage employment to the creation of durable rural assets, especially in natural resource management (NRM). By focusing on bunding, pond construction, and wasteland development, UP looks to direct funds toward improving farm productivity and water availability — issues central to rural resilience, experts said.Investment in ponds and bunds directly addresses water harvesting, groundwater recharge, and addressing drought—crucial for a state like UP, where large parts face seasonal water stress. Bunding and wasteland reclamation improve soil moisture retention, reduce erosion, and bring unused land into cultivation, which benefits small and marginal farmers.According to MNREGS records, the state govt has earmarked 4,88,047 works, of which 2,34,053 have been approved and 25,497 have been completed. A total of 1,99,072 works are in the implementation stage with 29,402 newly proposed one.The data reflects a huge pipeline of works, with the majority still under implementation. The relatively low completion rate may be due to the seasonal nature of MNREGS works (dependence on monsoon, soil moisture for bunds/ponds), but it also points to execution bottlenecks. Low completion rate, experts said, also raises questions about project management capacity.