Government has claimed the average person days employment generated per household last fiscal was highest in eight years at 49 days under MGNREGA scheme. <br/><br/>In its report titled, 'Performance, Initiatives and Strategies Financial Year 2015-16 and Financial Year 2016-17', the government said, a total of 235 crore person days' work were generated last year. Rural Development Minister Birender Singh, who released the report in New Delhi yesterday, claimed the timely payment of wages resulted in bringing back beneficiaries who had distanced themselves from the scheme due to delay in wage payments – back to the programme. <br/><br/>He said, 49-day average is highest in past eight years. The previous highest was 46. Mr Singh said, the government took several measures to ensure benefits reach those deserving and listed preparation of job cards with the help of AADHAR, crediting funds to beneficiaries through Electronic Fund Management System and others as part of the efforts.<br/><br/>The report said, programme could reach irrigation potential in 46.43 lakh hectares with a range of natural resource management initiatives – ponds, dams, wells, check dams, afforestation, land development, water shed management works, etc and benefited 33.61 lakh people. It said, 55 percent of the total beneficiaries were women, a large number of whom is from scheduled caste, scheduled tribes and other vulnerable sections.