How far MGNREGA has reached?

Origin of MGNERGA

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a social welfare and employment generation program in India that guarantees 100 days of wage employment per year to rural households whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The act was enacted on August 25, 2005, and came into effect on February 2, 2006. It was later renamed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to emphasize its nature as a rights-based legislation.

The origins of MGNREGA can be traced back to the persistent problem of rural poverty, underemployment, and lack of social safety nets in India from way back to 1960. The act was introduced to provide income security to rural households, reducing distress migration, addressing seasonal unemployment, and promoting rural development through the creation of durable community assets.

Rural communities constitute a vital cornerstone of societies around the world, yet they often face a multitude of challenges ranging from limited access to basic amenities to constrained economic opportunities. In response to these challenges, initiatives that seek to empower rural communities and drive sustainable development have gained prominence. Delves into a comprehensive evaluation of the initiative that combines community empowerment, water resource management, and employment generation.

The work done under MGNREGA like the creation of ponds and other structures will be an asset to the society whose economic and environmental values will increase each year. The work done at the moment will be cost-effective, most efficient and environment friendly.

Survey Site: About Ora Bagicha

According to Census 2011 information the location code or village code of Ora Bagicha village is 242877. Ora Bagicha village is located in Dharhara subdivision of Munger district in Bihar, India. It is situated 2km away from sub-district headquarters Dharhara (tehsildar office) and 25km away from district headquarters Munger. As per 2009 stats, Orabagicha is the gram panchayat of Ora Bagicha village.

We have conducted two questionnaires, one based on Qualitative and another one based on quantitative. We have also done 2 focus group discussions.

Key observations and learning from research:

We have seen authenticity at the place and people were very much supportive. Even though the work is not as expected but the potential of MGNERGA can be felt. The success in Sikkim and market-led changes were evident. The closet plans which were executed like MGNREGA were WPA.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a prominent New Deal program in the United States during the Great Depression and operated from 1935 to 1943. Under the leadership of Harry Hopkins, the WPA aimed to provide employment and economic relief to millions of Americans affected by the economic downturn. It achieved this by funding a wide range of public works projects, including the construction of public buildings, roads, bridges, and infrastructure. Additionally, the WPA supported various cultural and artistic initiatives, such as the Federal Art Project and the Federal Writers' Project, which provided employment to artists, writers, and intellectuals.

Conclusion

Certain challenges that the MGNERGA plan is facing are due to the over-dependence on government and centralization, people want jobs and India lacks infrastructure. So, a system to support companies and put money of less risk into these will solve the problem.