International Journal of Social Science : Vol. 3. No. 4, 415-426, Dec 2014

DOI No. 10.5958/2321-5771.2014.00015.5

Contribution of MGNREGS in eradication

of rural poverty- An Assessment

K. Somasekhar

Department of Rural Development, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur–522 510,

A.P., India.

Corresponding author: sekharanurd@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Poverty reduction and rural development are the most difficult and biggest

challenges in the country. Since independence a number of poverty alleviation and

rural development programmes have been implemented during the plan period

aiming to reduce poverty.These development programmes can be grouped in two

categories (i) wage employment schemes (ii) Scheme self-employment schemes.

In these programmsviz: MFALDA, SFDA, Food For Work programme, National

Rural Employment programe and Employment Assurance scheme (EAS). During

1989-90 a massive programme of JawaharRozgarYojana was launched by merging

NREP and RLEGP. Later a unique new wage employment programme known as

SampoornaGrameenaRozgarYojana (SGRY) was introduced by merging JGSY

and EAS. The Swarnjayanthi Gram SwarozgarYojana (SGSY) is a major ongoing

programme for the self-employment of the poor.

In spite of implementation several self and wage employment programmes for

reduction of poverty expected results are not achieved. In this backdrop a unique

programme with a view to cover all section of the people and regions was launched

called Mahajnna Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme

(MGNREGS) in the year 2006. It is a world’s biggest employment guarantee

programme. It aims at enhancing livelihood security of people in rural area by

guaranteeing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every

household whose adult members voluntary to do unskilled manual work. Its aim

is to reduce rural poverty through the creation of sustainable rural infrastructure

which is expected to foster rural economic growth. In this paper it examines the

impact of self and wage employment programmes in alleviation of poverty and

implementation of MGNREGS. It also examines how MGNREGS has contributed

in reduction of poverty.

Keywords: Poverty, Unemployment, Self-Employment Programmes, Wage

Employment Programmes, Rural Infrastructure, MGNREGS.