235 crore person days' work were generated in 2015 by MGNREGA

Often under attack over alleged poor execution of MGNREGA scheme, Government on Tuesday claimed the average person days employment generated per household last fiscal was highest in eight years at 49 days even as there was improvement in timely payment of wages under the livelihood programme during the span.

In its report titled, 'Performance, Initiatives and Strategies FY 2015-16 and FY 2016-17', the NDA Government claimed that a total of 235 crore person days' work were generated in 2015.

55 % of the total beneficiaries were women, a large quantum of whom is from scheduled caste, scheduled tribes and other vulnerable sections, the report states.

Union Rural Development Minister Birender Singh, who released the report at a national conference of state Panchayati Raj Ministers, claimed the timely payment of wages resulted in bringing back beneficiaries - who had distanced themselves from the scheme due to delay in wage payments - back to the programme.

"The 49-day average is highest in past eight years. The previous highest was 46.

Also, last year the MGNREGA budget was Rs 37,000 crore, while the expenditure stands at Rs 43,000 crore plus