Contribution of MGNREGS in eradication of rural poverty - An Assessment

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 Jawahar Rozgar Yojana was launched by merging NREP and RLEGP. Later a unique new wage employment programme known as Sampoorna Grameena Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) was introduced by merging JGSY and EAS. The Swarnjayanthi Gram Swarozgar Yojana (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.