Role of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for economic development of rural workers: A study in Serchhip block, Mizoram

Abstract

Indian economy is purely rooted with rural development where more than 70 percent of population depending the rural based occupation such as Agriculture and allied sector em-ployment. In village situation most of villagers have faced a lot of barriers such as insufficient rain, climate change, financial constraint, unemployment and the like. In this scenario, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) was implemented on September 7, 2005 to enhance the socio-economic condition among villagers with 100 days work guarantee and equal wage and employment between men and women. The study analyses the socio-economic impact of MGNREGA scheme on the life Beneficiaries of Mizoram and ex-amines the earning level of each house hold and expenditure pattern on food and non-food item 120 beneficiaries are selected based on systematic random sampling for the study. The findings revealed that MGNREGA has helped to bring down the level of unemployment and has also re-duced the supply of labour to the agriculture. Minimum wages for agricultural labourers have increased after the implementation of MGNREGA, Under MGNREGA the sample beneficiaries have marginally gained in terms of better employment opportunities and increased days of em-ployment, which has been improving their per capita income and helps to lead a better standard of life. The author suggested 100 days offer employment to a family in one financial year is no way sufficient to sustain a family. There should have been some weightage for Below Poverty Line (BPL), landless families in providing job opportunities. Work should be allotted according to the preference of the workers and the need of the people. Quality awareness campaigns with focus on details of the provisions and entitlements of the scheme should be launched.