The WhatsApp messages from the central rural development ministry to states had a chilling effect on the work given under MNREGA after the roaring demand growth in the first few months. The states took the instructions and signals sent in August seriously and reduced work for future as arrears piled up.

The Union government prepares a labour budget at the beginning of the year – the persondays of labour work it estimates to be generated through the financial year. It is done in consultation with the states but the Union government has the final say. The labour ...