01 Apr 2023 MGNREGS

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)

This article covers “Daily Current Affairs” and the topic details MGNREGS. The topic “MGNREGS” has relevance in the Economy section for the UPSC CSE exam.

Relevance of MGNREGS for UPSC CSE Exam

For Prelims:

• About MGNREGS.
• Features of  MGNREGS.

For Mains:

• GS 3: Economy.
• Government’s emphasis on MGNREGS.
• Performance of MGNREGS over the years.

Why in the news?

It has been decided by the government that 75 percent of the Anganwadi centers built under the Women and Child Development ministry will be constructed in convergence with the MGNREGS scheme in the current year.

MGNREGS

What is MGNREGS?

MGNREGS stands for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. It is a social welfare scheme launched by the Indian government in 2005 to provide guaranteed employment to rural households. It is a statutory scheme under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

About mgnregs

What is the objective of MGNREGS?

The objective of the scheme is to provide at least 100 days of wage employment to every household in rural areas of India.

The scheme aims to provide employment opportunities to the rural population and improve their standard of living, while also promoting sustainable development of rural areas.

Who are the target beneficiaries under the scheme?

The target beneficiaries of MGNREGS are rural households in India. The scheme aims to provide employment opportunities to the rural poor, especially those belonging to marginalized communities such as Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and women.

The scheme also has a special focus on employing women, with at least one-third of the total work days reserved for them.

What has been the government’s policy on MGNREGS?

The Indian government has been supportive of MGNREGS and has introduced several policy measures to improve the implementation of the scheme and address the issues associated with it.

Some of the key policy measures taken by the government include:

• Allocation of funds: The government has increased the allocation of funds for MGNREGS over the years to ensure the availability of resources for the implementation of the scheme.
• Digitization: The government has initiated the digitization of MGNREGS to improve transparency and accountability in the implementation of the scheme. The digitization of the scheme includes the use of technology such as biometric authentication, electronic fund management systems, and mobile applications.
• Real-time monitoring: The government has established a real-time monitoring system for MGNREGS to track the progress of the scheme and ensure timely intervention in case of any issues.
• Social audits: The government has introduced the concept of social audits, which involves the participation of beneficiaries and civil society organizations in the monitoring of the implementation of the scheme.
• Expansion of scope: The government has expanded the scope of MGNREGS by including new projects such as water conservation, afforestation, and rural sanitation to create more employment opportunities for the rural poor.

What are the issues with MGREGS?

While MGNREGS has been successful in providing employment opportunities and improving the livelihoods of the rural poor, there are several issues associated with the scheme that need to be addressed. Some of the issues are

• Delayed payment of wages: One of the major issues with MGNREGS is the delayed payment of wages to the beneficiaries. This can lead to financial hardships for the households and defeats the purpose of employment as a means of livelihood.
• Corruption and mismanagement: Another issue with MGNREGS is the prevalence of corruption and mismanagement in the implementation of the scheme. This can lead to inefficiencies in the allocation of work and resources, and also deprive the eligible beneficiaries of their entitlements.
• Lack of transparency and accountability: There is a lack of transparency and accountability in the implementation of MGNREGS, which leads to a lack of trust among the beneficiaries. The lack of information about the availability of work, wages, and other entitlements can lead to confusion and dissatisfaction among the beneficiaries.
• Low participation of women: Although the scheme has a special focus on employing women, their participation in the scheme remains low. This is due to various social and cultural factors that restrict the mobility of women and their access to work.
• Limited impact on poverty reduction: While MGNREGS has provided employment opportunities to the rural poor, its impact on poverty reduction has been limited. The scheme needs to be complemented with other initiatives that focus on improving the access of the rural poor to education, health, and other basic services.

How has been the performance of MGNREGS  over the years?

• 97 Crore – ACTIVE WORKERS (2022-23)
• 2 Crore – Assets created to date
• 37 Crore – Debt transactions
• 13 Crore – Household benefitted (2022-23)
• 34 Crore – Individual Category workers (2022-23)

What is the performance of MGNREGS?

Way Forward

To ensure the continued success of MGNREGS, there are several ways forward that the government can consider. Some of the key strategies are

• Addressing issues related to the timely payment of wages: The government needs to ensure the timely payment of wages to the beneficiaries to ensure the sustainability of the scheme
• Strengthening the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms: This can be achieved by establishing effective feedback mechanisms and by involving beneficiaries and civil society organizations in monitoring the implementation of the scheme.
• Promoting the participation of women and marginalized communities: The government can promote the participation of women and marginalized communities in MGNREGA by addressing the social and cultural barriers that restrict their access to work.
• Enhancing the skill development of beneficiaries: This can be achieved by providing them with training opportunities in areas such as entrepreneurship, financial management, and digital literacy.
• Integrating MGNREGS with other rural development initiatives: The government can integrate MGNREGS with other rural development initiatives to create a comprehensive approach to rural development. This can include initiatives related to rural infrastructure, agriculture, health, and education.

Sources:

Downtoearth

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Mohit Pratap Singh