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MGNREGS support for horticulture plantation Photo: Abinav Kareethara Sunikuttan · Pexels License · source ↗

MGNREGS support for horticulture plantation

Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), individual small and marginal farmers can claim wage and material support for establishing horticulture plantations on their own holdings. This convergence has been central to the spread of mango, sapota, custard apple, amla, drumstick, lemon, sweet orange and tamarind orchards across Rayalaseema smallholder land in the last decade.

Scope and launch

MGNREGS was enacted in 2005 and operationalised in 2006. The horticulture convergence guideline allows orchard establishment on the lands of eligible job-card holders (SC, ST, IAY beneficiaries, small and marginal farmers under SC/ST or BPL categories, and women-headed households) as an admissible Category B individual asset. State guidelines specify model estimates per acre for major horticulture crops.

Eligibility

  • The farmer must hold a valid MGNREGS job card and belong to one of the eligible categories listed above.
  • The plot must be ownership land (not encroached or under dispute) and large enough for the model orchard layout (typically minimum 0.25-0.50 acre).
  • Estimate approval is required from the Mandal Parishad Development Officer and the Block Development Officer.

Benefit structure

  • Wage component: 100 person-days per year per household across all works combined.
  • Material component: cost of saplings (from notified MIDH nurseries), pit-filling material (FYM, neem cake, single super phosphate), labour for pit digging, and minor protection works (tree guards, drip tubing where converged).
  • Per-acre support varies by crop and state but typically ranges Rs 25,000-60,000 for mango, sapota and amla, paid over a three-year maintenance window.

Implementation

  • The Gram Panchayat compiles individual proposals from job-card holders.
  • The Mandal Parishad and Block Development Office technically appraise estimates and forward to the Programme Officer.
  • Sapling supply comes from MIDH-supported nurseries; the convergence with MIDH (Midh Mission Integrated Horticulture) provides the technical package.
  • Wages are paid through DBT to Aadhaar-seeded accounts. Material is paid in instalments tied to survival audits.

How farmers register

Farmers apply through their Gram Panchayat office. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana the proposal is uploaded by the Village Secretariat (or RBK in AP - Rbk Rythu Bharosa Kendra Anantapur). Survival audits are conducted at the end of years 1, 2 and 3 to release material instalments. Water source (farm pond, drip from borewell, or convergence with PMKSY) is essential for survival; works are commonly clustered around watershed treatments under WDC-PMKSY (Watershed Development Component Pmksy Wdc) or Neeru Meeru (Neeru Meeru Watershed Ap).

See also: MIDH horticulture mission, Watershed Development Component PMKSY, Neeru Meeru watershed, RBK Anantapur.

Sources

  1. MGNREGS Operational Guidelines. Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.
  2. Convergence Guidelines for Horticulture under MGNREGS. Ministry of Rural Development.