Giri Institute of Development Studies, Lucknow
Online published on 2 March, 2012.
Problems of ever-increasing rural labour are multi-dimensional which pose challenges for policymakers and planners. To meet these challenges effectively, several programmes were introduced but these could not achieve the desired goals. Consequently, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was enacted to reinforce Government, commitment towards livelihood security in rural areas. The significance of NREGA is that it creates a right-based framework for wage employment programmes and makes Government legally accountable for providing employment to those who ask for it. The present study aims at examining the key process of and the institutional set up for implementation of NREGA and to identify problems emerging at different stages in implementation of the Scheme. This paper also tries to analyze the impact of NREGA as envisaged in the Act. Four districts namely, Chandauli, Chitrakoat, Hardoi and Kheri-Lakhimpur were selected as sample districts located in four different agro-climatic zones of Uttar Pradesh. It was found that the NREGA was instrumental in generating new employment opportunities and better livelihood security, empowering among different disadvantaged socio-economic groups and bringing overall socio-economic changes in rural areas. However, it was found that them is still a lot of scope for making this programme mom successful, given that certain untapped gaps are considered sincerely while planning the implementation processes in the years to come. Finally, the paper offers a set of policy measures for effective implementation of NREGA.
