Women form two-thirds of workforce in revamped rural job scheme

Women form two-thirds of workforce in revamped rural job scheme

India’s revamped rural job scheme, launched under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), has seen women account for nearly two-thirds of the workforce in its first three weeks, according to government officials and data reviewed by Mint. The scheme’s expanded framework now includes roles beyond traditional manual labor, such as data entry, childcare, and agricultural support, which have attracted higher female participation. Officials attribute this trend to the scheme’s more inclusive design, which aligns with broader efforts to enhance women’s economic empowerment in rural areas. The government has not yet released official participation figures.