New Delhi: The wage rates for workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have been increased by 17 to 30 percent. The ministry of rural development said in a notification that the revised wage rates come into effect from 1 January 2011. The current minimum wage rate is 100 per day. The revised wages are Andra Pradesh - 121, Kerala - 150, Karnataka - 125, Maharashtra - 127, Manipur - 126, Tamil Nadu - 119, UP - 120, West Bengal - 130, Pondicherry - 119, Chandigarh - 174. "The move is likely to benefit more than five crore beneficiaries under MGNREGA across the country. The wage rates have been enhanced on the basis of Consumer Price Index for the agricultural labour calculated on the basis of Rs 100 or the actual wage rate, whichever is higher as on April 1, 2009," said the Rural Development Minister, C.P. Joshi. The Government will meet the additional expense of 3,500 crore due to the wage revision between January and March, he said.