Effect of MGNREGA Scheme on Participants’ Employment, Nature of Work and Perception about the Scheme: A Case Study of Karur district of Tamil Nadu

A core objective of the flagship MGNREGA scheme is to guarantee 100 days of employment for every participating household. This scheme is backed by MGNREGA act. The objectives of the study are to assess the effect of the MGNREGA scheme on participant employment, to analyse the number of days of employment provided and the various types of work performed by beneficiaries and to examine participant perceptions regarding the scheme’s strengths and effective practices. A multi-stage sampling methodology was utilized. The initial stage involved the selection of Karur district in Tamil Nadu. The second stage comprised the selection of three taluks—Manmangalam, Pugalur, and Aravakuruchi—which exhibited the highest concentration of completed works under the scheme within the district. In the final stage, three villages were randomly selected from within each of the chosen taluks. Five MGNREGA respondents were chosen at random from each village, resulting in a sample of 45 respondents for the study, including 22 scheme participants and 23 non-scheme participants. The study utilized both primary and secondary data sources. There is a clear indication of an increase in the average annual man-days of employment among participants of the scheme. While 100 days of employment per enrolled household are mandated by the MGNREGA Act, this target is frequently unmet by implementing agencies. Field channel cleaning is the prominent MGNREGA work, which is carried out for maximum number of days. Works carried out under the scheme are mostly soil and water conservation. Participants feel contented with the scheme, as it requires no special skill and education, but they also expressed their disappointment over the lack of supervision. Equal wage rate for both men and women, wage disbursal through bank accounts, and availability of basic facilities are considered as good practices associated with MGNREGA scheme as perceived by the participants of the scheme. Implementing agencies must be empowered to provide the full 100 days of employment sought by participants.