Average wage increases almost quadrupled to 9.7 percent between 2006 and 2009. Annual nominal wage growth averaged 18.8 percent. Since January 2010, agricultural wages rose 20.2 percent, while non-agricultural rural wages increased 16.7 percent
Wage growth for men in the agricultural sector averaged 19.7 percent while that for women 20.8 percent.
A study using monthly wage data from the period 2000-2011 for a panel of 249 districts across 19 states confirmed that the increase in wages was also visible in real term.
The wage effect is equal for both men and women. It also appears to be targeted well as it only affects unskilled wages and not skilled wages. Since the increase was calculated against the base year 2000, it was estimated as a real increase in wages.
The study also noted that MGNREGA has the potential to be an effective policy instrument to reduce poverty. The Scheme, by influencing wage rates in the rural unskilled labour market, has provided an additional for the government to enforce statutory minimum wage.