NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT (NREGA): MITIGATING UNEMPLOYMENT IN RURAL INDIA (AN EVALUATION)

Abstract

With a view to eliminate the weaknesses of the previous wage employment generating programmes, the Government of India introduced Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 2005. MGNREGA isunique, as it is community based, demand driven and has a legal provision for providing 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) 2005 is the flagship programme of the Government that directly touches lives of the poor and promotes inclusive growth. The Act is the first ever law internationally that guarantees wage employment at an unprecedented scale. It aims at enhancing livelihood security of households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The auxiliary objective of the Act is to create durable assets and strengthen the livelihood resource base of the rural poor. The choice of works suggested address causes of chronic poverty like drought, deforestation, soil erosion, so that the process of employment generation is on a sustainable basis. NREGA is a significant vehicle for strengthening decentralization and deepening processes of democracy by giving a pivotal role to Gram Sabhas and Panchayati Raj Institutions in planning and implementation of works.