Ministry of Rural Development Department of Rural Development

Inclusion of water related works and earmarking of certain expenditure for water conservation under MGNREGA

Issue Date: 23 September 2025 Published: 23 September 2025

Gazette ID: CG-DL-E-23092025-266311 Download PDF

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Core Purpose

The Central Government makes further amendments to Schedule I of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (42 of 2005).

Detailed Summary

The Ministry of Rural Development, through Notification S.O. 4288(E) dated 23rd September, 2025, in exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 29 of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (42 of 2005), has inserted a new proviso into Schedule I, Paragraph 4, sub-paragraph (2) of the said Act. The amendment specifies that assessment units (Blocks) classified as 'Over-exploited', 'Critical', 'Semi-critical', and 'Safe' in the Dynamic Ground Water Resources Assessment Report by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) shall be treated as priority areas for intervention. The District Programme Coordinator or Programme Officer must ensure that a minimum percentage of the works taken up in these assessment units (in terms of cost) are dedicated to water conservation, water harvesting, and other water-related works. Specifically, 65 per cent of such works are mandated for 'Over-exploited' and 'Critical' rural blocks, 40 per cent for 'Semi-critical' rural blocks, and 30 per cent for 'Safe' rural blocks. Schedule I of the Act was previously amended vide S.O. 323(E), dated 6th March, 2007, and S.O. 3622(E), dated 6th August, 2025.

Full Text

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-23092025-266311 EXTRAORDINARY PART II-Section 3-Sub-section (ii) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 4170] NEW DELHI, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2025/ASVINA 1, 1947 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II-SEC. 3(ii)] MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 23rd September, 2025 S.O. 4288(E). In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 29 of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (42 of 2005), the Central Government being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient so to do, hereby makes the following further amendments to Schedule I of the said Act, namely:- In the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, in Schedule I, in Paragraph 4, in sub- paragraph (2), after the proviso, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely:- "Provided further that the assessment units (Blocks) classified as 'Over-exploited', 'Critical', Semi-critical' and 'Safe' in the available Dynamic Ground Water Resources Assessment Report, by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), shall be treated as priority areas for intervention, and the District Programme Coordinator or Programme Officer shall ensure that a minimum percentage of the works to be taken up in the assessment units (Blocks) in terms of cost, shall be for water conservation, water harvesting and other water-related works as per following, namely:- (a) 65 per cent in ‘Over-exploited' and 'Critical' rural blocks; (b) 40 per cent in 'Semi-critical' rural blocks; and (c) 30 per cent in 'Safe' rural blocks". [F. No. J-11017/05/2021-RE-VII] ROHINI RAMDAS BHAJIBHAKARE, Jt. Secy. Note: Schedule I of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 was first amended vide number S.O. 323(E), dated the 6th March, 2007 and lastly amended vide number S.O. 3622(E), dated the 6th August, 2025. Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.

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