Belagavi district has achieved the top position in the state for the creation of man days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA). In just three months of this financial year, a remarkable 61.41 lakh man-days have been generated, breaking all previous records. This outstanding accomplishment was announced by Belagavi ZP CEO Harshal Bhoyer.
For the year 2023-24, Belagavi district has been assigned a target of creating 1.40 lakh man days. However, the district has already surpassed expectations in the months of April, May, and June. Particularly in May and June, over one lakh laborers have worked tirelessly every day. In comparison, the first three months of the previous financial year saw the creation of 42.67 lakh man days. This year, the number has soared to an impressive 61.41 lakh man days, exceeding all expectations. The progress made between the previous and current year is a remarkable 18.73 lakh man days, representing a 43.91% increase.
Here is the district-wise breakdown of the top five places in terms of man days generation:
1. Belagavi: 61.41 lakh
2. Raichur: 58.75 lakh
3. Koppala: 57.37 lakh
4. Bellary: 49.19 lakh
5. Vijayanagar: 42.51 lakh

Another noteworthy achievement is the creation of 2.78 lakh man days in a single day, a first for the Belagavi district under the NREGA scheme. This remarkable feat was accomplished on July 1, 2023, setting a new record for the state.
The participation rate of women in the workforce is also commendable. Across all village panchayats in Belagavi district, women have been provided with substantial wages under the Manrega scheme. In the year 2022-23, the participation rate of
In the Gram Panchayats, the Manrega scheme is being actively promoted through various means such as door-to-door visits, Self Help Society LCRP, MBK, Krishi Sakhi, and Pashu Sakhir. At the Taluka level, the Taluka IEC coordinators and administrative assistants have been conducting regular visits and inspections to the Gram Panchayat and work sites, ensuring that the project information reaches the people effectively.
This remarkable progress has been made possible due to the dedicated efforts and cooperation of the officers and staff in all taluks and gram panchayats within the district. Furthermore, it is crucial to actively involve and encourage the participation of differently-abled individuals, senior citizens, and women in the Manrega scheme, enabling them to benefit from its provisions, said Harshal Bhoyar, Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Panchayat Belagavi
Due to the delayed monsoon this year, farmers are facing difficulties in carrying out their usual sowing work, resulting in a lack of employment opportunities in the agricultural fields. Consequently, there has been a significant increase in the demand for Narega works. It is essential to ensure that more and more farmers and laborers can take advantage of this scheme, providing them with the necessary support during this challenging period added
Ravi N Bangarappanvar, Project Director, DRDA Branch Zilla Panchayat Belagavi.