In his government's budget for the year 2023-24, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot increased the number of days of employment offered in the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme from 100 to 125 days. The scheme is modelled on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act that the Congress-led UPA government had started at the Centre.
The additional 25 days of employment, effective from April 1, 2023, is expected to cost approximately Rs 1,100 crore to the government exchequer. Gehlot, who also holds the finance portfolio, announced the scheme in the 2022 budget and allocated Rs 800 crore to provide 100 days of employment to each family under the scheme. He launched the scheme on September 9, 2022, at Khania ki Baori, a stepwell built in the 18th century in Jaipur.
Under the scheme, an urban family facing unemployment can demand employment by getting a job card made through the Jan Aadhaar card. The works permitted in this scheme include environmental and water conservation, heritage conservation, sanitation, service, convergence, and to prevent defacement of public properties and other works.
According to the Rajasthan government, more than 4.51 lakh job cards have been made till now, and more than 6.94 lakh people have linked to the scheme so far. Employment has been demanded by 3.09 lakh families till now and more than 1.13 lakh online muster rolls have been issued. The wages for semi-skilled labourers are Rs 259 per day and Rs 283 per day for skilled labourers. Any person aged between 18 and 60 years avail of employment and get free registration done through Jan Aadhaar card at e-Mitra counters.