Participation of Women Workers in MGNREGA: A Case Study of Ludhiana District of Punjab

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) represents one of the most progressive and visionary pieces of legislation crafted for the advancement of rural India. This scheme guarantees 100 days of employment, minimum-wage work on public projects, with a commitment to maintaining a 33 percent female workforce. The study has been planned to examine the socio-economic aspects of women’s empowerment through their involvement in MGNREGA in the Ludhiana districts of Punjab. A sample of 80 households in which 40 MGNREGA and 40 non-MGNREGA households were taken into consideration. The study revealed that MGNREGA led to increased work hours, savings, reduced debt, and improved decision-making. This positive change also reduced reliance on money lenders, although land holdings saw little positive impact. In contrast, non-MGNREGA programs had limited positive effects on these socio-economic factors, resulting in decreased work hours and savings, with little change in debt and money lender dependence.