Assistant professor, Department of International and commerce, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu-630003
Online published on 26 September, 2013.
The NREGA programmers typically provide unskilled manual workers with short-term employment on public works such as irrigation infrastructure, deforestation, soil conservation and road construction. The programmers provide income transfers to poor households during critical times and therefore enable consumption smoothing specially during slack agricultural seasons or years. The Act guarantees 100 days of employment in a financial year to any rural household whose adult members are willing to do unskilled manual work. This work guarantee can also serve other objectives like generating productive assets, protecting the environment, increased standard of living, and increased purchasing power of the rural people. In countries with high unemployment rates, transfer benefits from workfare programmers can prevent poverty from worsening, especially during lean periods. Durable assets that these programmers may create have the potential to generate a second – round of employment benefits as necessary infrastructure is developed. The need to evolve a mechanism to supplement existing livelihood sources in rural areas was recognized early during development planning in India.
The NREGA programmers typically provide unskilled manual workers with short-term employment on public works such as irrigation infrastructure, deforestation, soil conservation and road construction. The programmers provide income transfers to poor households during critical times and therefore enable consumption smoothing specially during slack agricultural seasons or years. The Act guarantees 100 days of employment in a financial year to any rural household whose adult members are willing to do unskilled manual work. This work guarantee can also serve other objectives like generating productive assets, protecting the environment, increased standard of living, and increased purchasing power of the rural people. In countries with high unemployment rates, transfer benefits from workfare programmers can prevent poverty from worsening, especially during lean periods. Durable assets that these programmers may create have the potential to generate a second – round of employment benefits as necessary infrastructure is developed. The need to evolve a mechanism to supplement existing livelihood sources in rural areas was recognized early during development planning in India.
