The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005

An overview of features and current debates21/01/2013The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005ContentsRationaleHistoryOverview of the Act- Processes and Design FeaturesImplementation and Performance- Some indicators

RationaleHistoryThe Maharashtra Employment Guarantee Scheme (MEGS) 1972Food for Work Programme FWP 1977Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana SGRY 2001National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP) 2004Introduction to the ActNotified on 7th September 2005 and implemented in three phases

Mandate: The Act mandates enhancing livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

Objectives: Primary: augmenting wage employment for the poorest of the poor Secondary: strengthening natural resource management and encouraging sustainable development

Processes-1Application for job cardIssue of job cardDemand for EmploymentSelection of WorksApproval of projectsInforming the PRIsPreparation of estimatesWork allocation and maintenance of muster rollsWork measurementSocial AuditPayment of WagesProcesses- 2

ImplementationFundingDesign FeaturesOther on- going debatesIs it an irreversible guarantee? Should not the guarantee be unlimited?Private works v/s Public worksConvergenceFull legal safeguards?Long term strategy or short term solution?Centre- State issuesPerformance graph- 2