Some Issues of MGNREGS: Review of North-Eastern States of India with Special Reference to Meghalaya

The Meghalaya Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was notified on 28^th July 2006, following the implementation of MGNREGA. This paper has studied the progress of the scheme in North-Eastern states of India, especially Meghalaya. The scheme faces severe criticism on the ground of its potential to divert the labour away from agriculture and thus affecting the cost of production. Only 4 per cent administrative cost is too less for the remote hilly areas. Moreover, absence of panchayats in Meghalaya has made the implementation of the scheme difficult. The study has suggested that close vigilance is required to see that MGNREGA does not become just another of the plethora of poverty alleviation schemes that India has since Independence.