How India Lives

Unspent Balance / Shortage of Fund

Sometimes at the end of a financial year, all funds available are not spent, and the amount left over is called the ‘unspent balance’. In contrast, in some financial years, expenditure exceeds the funds available. This happens because MGNREGS is a demand driven scheme and anyone who applies for work must be provided employment. The expenditure incurred in excess of funds available is referred to as ‘Shortage of fund’. This visualisation shows the extent of ‘unspent balance’ / ‘shortage of fund’ as a proportion of the funds available. The trend is available for five financial years (2018-19 to 2022-23).

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Copyright: Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA)

Data visualisation: How India Lives

Name of the Scheme	Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
Type of Scheme	Centrally Sponsored Scheme
Scheme Description	MGNREGS aims to enhance livelihood security of the rural masses with a provision of at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult member volunteers to do unskilled manual work. This is one of the world’s largest public sector employment programmes, providing guaranteed income through employment.
Data Source	Compiled by CBGA from the data available at: MGNREGA MIS Data https://www.nrega.nic.in/netnrega/mgnrega_new/Nrega_home.aspx
Frequency	Yearly
General Notes	NA-Data Not Available / Applicable
Indicator Name	Funds Available
Indicator Description	Based on the demand from the districts, funds are made available by the Government for implementing the scheme. This includes the opening balance and fund received by the district during the financial year.
Indicator Unit	In Rs. Crore
Indicator Name	Total Expenditure
Indicator Description	Sum total of four components of expenditure incurred under the scheme - payment to labourers, material cost, tax payment, and costs for admin expenses.
Indicator Unit	In Rs. Crore
Indicator Name	Unspent Balance / Shortage of Fund
Indicator Description	Out of total amount available with the district during the financial year, how much is left at the end of financial year after incurring all the expenditure under the scheme. Since districts have to spend the money on the basis of employment demanded, in some cases, the expenditure exceeds the fund available. These cases show the 'Shortage of Fund', and are indicated by negative sign.
Indicator Unit	In Rs. Crore