<p>India is seeing a fall in demand for jobs under a rural employment guarantee programme, the finance minister told Parliament on Wednesday.</p>.<p>"In rural areas, the demand for MGNREGA in the recent past is coming down," said Nirmala Sitharaman, referring to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.</p>.<p>"MGNREGA is a demand driven programme ... (and) there is a declining trend."</p>.<p>The government, nevertheless, this month sought an additional Rs 16,400 crore for the programme above the budgeted Rs 73,000 crore for the current financial year that ends on March 31.</p>.<p>The MNREGA jobs programme, introduced more than 15 years ago, allows citizens to enrol for work such as building roads, digging wells or creating other rural infrastructure, and receive a minimum wage for at least 100 days each year.</p>
<p>India is seeing a fall in demand for jobs under a rural employment guarantee programme, the finance minister told Parliament on Wednesday.</p>.<p>"In rural areas, the demand for MGNREGA in the recent past is coming down," said Nirmala Sitharaman, referring to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.</p>.<p>"MGNREGA is a demand driven programme ... (and) there is a declining trend."</p>.<p>The government, nevertheless, this month sought an additional Rs 16,400 crore for the programme above the budgeted Rs 73,000 crore for the current financial year that ends on March 31.</p>.<p>The MNREGA jobs programme, introduced more than 15 years ago, allows citizens to enrol for work such as building roads, digging wells or creating other rural infrastructure, and receive a minimum wage for at least 100 days each year.</p>