The Centre’s approval of an additional 50 days of work under MGNREGA in areas affected by the recent floods in Jammu and Kashmir has prompted lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and chief minister Omar Abdullah to claim credit for it.

“In view of the likelihood of increased demand for employment in public work projects because of the natural calamity, it has been decided, under Section 3(4) of the MGNREGA, to provide up to 50 days of additional employment over and above 100 days per household in the affected rural areas of Jammu & Kashmir for 2025-26,” a government spokesperson said.

The decision seems to have been made by Union minister for agriculture, farmers’ welfare and rural development Shivraj Singh Chouhan, but the announcement was made by the spokesperson for the Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday.

Chouhan had in October said that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) workdays would be increased from 100 to 150 for flood-affected households upon receipt of the Jammu and Kashmir government’s proposal.

The government spokesperson here said the department of agriculture and farmers’ welfare had recommended extending the benefit of additional employment of 50 days over and above 100 days per household in areas affected by floods, cloudbursts or landslides in the Union Territory for the current fiscal.

The spokesperson said 1,962 panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir were declared “flood-affected this year.

Sinha on Friday expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chouhan for the additional 50 workdays under the rural job scheme, saying inclement weather had adversely impacted livelihood.

“I’m grateful to Hon’ble PM Sh. Narendra Modi Ji and Hon’ble Union Minister of Rural Development Sh. Shivraj Singh Chouhan Ji for increasing number of person-days provided under MGNREGA to 150 days for J&K to enhance livelihood security in rural areas affected by natural calamity,” he posted on X.

The LG said special relief was sought from the Centre and the decision “will ensure stable income to vulnerable rural households, relieve the families from economic distress and create durable assets”, giving an impression that his administration was pursuing the case with the Centre.

Omar on Saturday congratulated his rural development minister Javed Dar for the development.

“Chief Minister has congratulated the Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development @JavedDar_NC and his dedicated team for successfully persuading the Ministry of Rural Development, GoI, to approve additional 50 days of employment…,” the chief minister’s office posted on X, uploading recent pictures of Dar with the Union minister.

“This crucial decision will support thousands of households impacted by recent floods/landslides, ensuring enhanced livelihood opportunities and relief,” it added.

The apparent competition for credit comes at a time Omar is facing outrage over a proposal of Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited, which handles electricity distribution in the Valley, to impose a 20 per cent surcharge on the base power tariff for consumption during designated peak hours.

The elected government had promised to provide 200 units of free electricity during last year’s election, but has so far failed to deliver.

Omar’s key aide and party’s chief spokesperson, Tanvir Sadiq, stepped in for damage control, vowing their government would not allow “unfair or ill-timed tariff burden on the people”.

“In a harsh winter, power is a necessity, not a luxury, in the Valley. The government has already taken a clear stand against such proposals,” he said.

Both the rural development and power ministries fall under the domain of the elected government.