Author(s):

Sachchidanand Upadhyay

Abstract: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is an employment programme providing legal guarantee of employment. MNREGA Act would help to protect rural households from poverty and hunger. Rural poverty is the backbone of Indian economic developments. More than 65% of people reside in village. Rural poverty is due to result of low productivity and unemployment. This programme provides an opportunity to create useful assets in rural areas. The Act is likely to lead to a significant reduction of rural-urban migration. Primarily the rural labor obtained seasonal employment, but the resource poor farmers also participated in the scheme more to in Sultanpur district. The study findings indicated that the seasonal migration of rural labor has come down significantly due to the opportunities of employment provided under the scheme. The MNREGA Act 2005 that guarantees 100 days of wages employment in a year to every rural household where adult members are willing to do unskilled manual work. Guaranteed employment can be major sources of empowerment for women and is likely to change power equations in the rural society, and foster a move equitable social order, Creation of durable community, social and economic assets, and Development of infrastructure. Funds for MNREGA are shared between the Central and State Governments in the proportion of 75:25. This scheme is applicable to families below poverty line (BPL) and above poverty line (APL) but one-third beneficiaries will be women. The main aim of this Act is to enhance the purchasing power of rural people. The focus of rural development is all encompassing Along with individual, group, or family oriented benefits, it also focuses on community assets in the form of infrastructure, such as water conservation and water-harvesting, Drought proofing including afforestation and tree plantation, Irrigation works, land development, flood control, rural connectivity to provide all weather roads, crèche and first aids etc. This article highlights the issue and challenges being faced by rural institution and MNREGA job card holders.

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