The Journey of a Decade of ‘Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act’

The Mandate of the Act and Achievements

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) completes ten years of implementation on 2nd February 2016. The achievements of a decade are a cause of national pride and celebration.

Of the workers, the percentage of Scheduled Caste workers has consistently been about 20% and Scheduled Tribe workers has been about 17%. Of the total persondays, percentage worked by women has steadily increased much above the statutory minimum of 33%.

Sustainable assets have been created linked to conservation of natural resources and overall development of Gram Panchayats. More than 65% of the works taken up under the programme are linked to agriculture and allied activities.

Revival of the Programme

The past year, 2015-16, has seen a revival of the programme. 44% of all wage payments are being made on time. More than 64% of total expenditure is on agriculture and allied activities, the highest in three years. 57% of all workers are women, well above the statutory requirement of 33% and the highest in three years. 23% of all person days are being done by SC workers, and 18% by ST workers, the highest in three years. Most important of these has been the timely release of funds to states to provide work on demand.

Way Forward

The focus for the upcoming years will be on simplification and strengthening of procedures for the implementation of the MGNREGA as an employment guarantee.

The Ministry will focus on imparting skills to workers. It will aim to train and place 10,000 Barefoot Technicians from worker households and through Project LIFE, skill and train workers for wages, for self-employment and livelihood upgradation.

About MGNREGA

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), is an Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the ‘right to work’. It aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 was launched in 2006, which later renamed as ‘Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act’.

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