9 4 8 . ▁M GN RE GA ▁w age ▁rates ▁were ▁less ▁than ▁the ▁minimum ▁w age ▁rates ▁of ▁respective ▁states ▁and ▁in ▁five ▁states ▁they ▁were ▁even ▁below ▁the ▁National ▁F loor ▁level ▁of ▁minimum ▁w age . ▁Pro tests ▁broke ▁out ▁throughout ▁India ▁couple d ▁with ▁controvers ies ▁over ▁cor ruption , ▁under - payment ▁of ▁workers , ▁poor ▁quality ▁of ▁infrastr ucture , ▁ambigu ous ▁source ▁of ▁funds ▁and ▁un int ended ▁negative ▁effect ▁on ▁pover ty . ▁Re comm end ations ▁made ▁by ▁National ▁Ad vis ory ▁Council ▁and ▁Centre ▁Emp loyment ▁Gu arante e ▁Council ▁cha ired ▁by ▁Jean ▁Dr è ze ▁that ▁M GN RE GA ' s ▁w age ▁rates ▁should ▁be ▁syn ced ▁with ▁Min imum ▁W ages ▁Act ▁were ▁rejected ▁by ▁the ▁Central ▁Government . ▁The ▁Central ▁Government ▁stuck ▁to ▁its ▁decision ▁of ▁free zing ▁M GN RE GA ▁w ages ▁even ▁after ▁an ▁order ▁from ▁Supreme ▁Court . ▁Event ually , ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁agreed ▁to ▁accept ▁recommend ations ▁and ▁indexed ▁M GN RE GA ▁w ages ▁to ▁Min imum ▁w age ▁rates ▁until ▁an ▁expert ▁committee ▁cha ired ▁by ▁P ran ab ▁M uk her je e ▁made ▁a ▁satisf actory ▁index . ▁He ▁however ▁maintained ▁a ▁clear ▁distinction ▁between ▁M GN RE GA ▁w age ▁rates ▁and ▁Min imum ▁w age ▁rates ▁to ▁avoid ▁infl ating ▁budget ▁on ▁revision ▁of ▁state - wise ▁minimum ▁w ages . ▁ ▁Deb ate ▁From ▁the ▁very ▁in ception ▁of ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁minimum