MNREGA and community power structure

<<–2/”>a >p style=”font-weight: 400;”>MNREGA and community power structure

Several rural development programmes were initiated in India during 1950s and 1960s. These programmes, popularly known as community development programmes, regarded rural people as beneficiaries but not participants in the development process. They were centrally designed and were implemented by extension agents using a top-down mode of decision-making. Those agents virtually had no knowledge of local conditions and the training either of the agents or the beneficiaries was inadequate. Consequently, due to the factors like legal barriers, lack of access to Resources, gender discrimination in various spheres and traditional power structures, much of the benefits of the programmes were absorbed by the better-off sections of the rural communities. Taking into consideration the loopholes of earlier programmes the UPA run central government of India has launched another rural development programme the National Rural EMPLOYMENT Guarantee Act (NREGA) in 2005.

Later on, this programme is named after Mahatma Gandhi and now it is known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). For the first time in the history of post independence India the Gram Panchyats are directly involved in planning, implementation and Social Audit of MGNREGA. Gram Panchayat and Gram Sabha are responsible for identifying, approving, allocating, supervising, monitoring and are accountable for all works under MGNREGA in their respective areas. It is an Act to provide for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

Under MGNREGA, the law acknowledges people‟s right to seek work and stipulates that a worker is authorized to demand for work. In case of failure, on the part of the implementing agency to provide work within 15 days of their demand the workers do keep the right to demand Unemployment allowance, compensation up to Rs.3000 and imposition of penalties. Thus scheme is a revolutionary demand-driven and people oriented development approach. The choice of works seeks to address the causes of chronic POVERTY such as drought, deforestation, Soil erosion, flood, and so on. MGNREGA is thus touted as a “People‟s Act” in several senses.

MGNREGA programme has made an effort to improve the people‟s participation level in DECISION MAKING process to the evaluation process through the provision of Right To Information act, social audit and the Gram Sabha which are indeed unique platforms for the villagers to raise their voice and monitor the working of the programme. For the purpose, the bottom-up participatory approach of development has been adopted where; the Gram Panchayat is the nodal agency at bottom level that has the authority to select, design and implement 50 per cent of the works. Accordingly, section 13(1) of MGNREGA mandates that „Panchayats at the district, intermediate and village levels will be the principal authorities for planning and implementation of the schemes‟. Further empowering the Gram Panchayat, it stipulates that a minimum of 50% of the funds and relevant works be executed by the Gram Panchayat.

To ensure that planning and works selected reflect the needs and priorities of the local citizens, section 16 (3) & (4) of the Act states that „every Gram Panchayat shall prepare a development plan and maintain a shelf of works.‟ This shelf of works is prepared on the basis of the recommendations of the Gram Sabha. Section 15(5) of the act lays down that the programme officer shall deal promptly with all the complaints that may arise in connection with the implementation of the scheme within the block, while section 23(6) stipulates that the programme officer shall enter every complaint in a complaint register maintained by him and shall dispose of the disputes and complaints within seven days of its receipt. In case the complaints are related to the matters to be resolved by any other authority they shall be forwarded to the concerned authority (Rohtagi 2009). Active participation of the beneficiaries in the grievance redressed system can help the programme to be more transparent and accountable and thereby reduce the level of Corruption. Building on the provision of right to information act, the MGNREGA stipulates that all information requests related to the MGNREGA be made available to the applicant within 7 days as opposed to the stipulated 30 days in RTI Act. Section 17 of the Act mandates that regular social audits to be conducted in the Gram Sabha at least once in every six months. All these provisions are listed in the programme with an intension to achieve the goal of Growth-3/”>Inclusive Growth through active participation of the rural mass.

MGNREGA is such a rural development programme that envisaged the workers with the power to participate in the actual process of decision making through the enactment of provisions like works selection process, social audit and the grievance redressed system. With an objective to ensure that planning and selection of works reflect the needs and priorities of the local citizens; section 16 (3) & (4) of the Act states that „every Gram Panchayat shall prepare a development plan and maintain a shelf of works. „This shelf of works is prepared based on recommendations of the Gram Sabha. They are empowered to evaluate and monitor the programme through the platform like social audit and the grievance redressed system of the Act. Apart from these, the programme has envisaged the beneficiaries with other facilities like travel allowance, unemployment allowance and worksite facilities for the welfare of the workers. But these are going to benefit the participants only when they are aware of the existence of such provisions in MGNREGA. Hence an attempt has been made in this section to examine the level of awareness of the participants as well as of the non participants as it is felt that even the non-participants should be aware of at least some of the important provisions of MGNREGA as it is not only an employment generation programme but also an overall development programme of the village through asset creation, which benefit not only the participants but also the non participants in some indirect ways.

The Gram Sabha is the platform where all matters of concern are discussed between the panchayat members and the villagers. It is the institution that provides a space to the villagers and opportunity to voice their opinions. In MGNREGA also the Gram Sabha holds an important place. The success of this participatory approach of development depends on the active participation of the beneficiaries in the Gram Sabha. It is the place where all the MGNREGA workers and the panchayat members directly interact and discuss the issues relating to MGNREGA. Keeping in mind the importance of Gram Sabha, this section made an attempt to evaluate the level of participation of the respondents in the Gram Sabha.

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), also known as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), is a social security legislation and a flagship program of the Government of India that aims to provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The Act was enacted in 2005 and implemented in 2006.

The MGNREGA has been hailed as a major success in providing employment and social protection to the rural poor. It has also been credited with empowering Women and improving environmental sustainability. However, the program has also been criticized for its implementation challenges and for its impact on community power structures.

One of the key features of the MGNREGA is its emphasis on community participation. The Act requires that all gram panchayats (village councils) prepare and implement their own annual action plans for employment generation. This has led to a significant increase in the level of community participation in local development planning and implementation.

The MGNREGA has also been credited with promoting social inclusion. The Act requires that at least one-third of the beneficiaries of the program be women. This has led to a significant increase in the number of women participating in the program. The MGNREGA has also been credited with promoting the participation of other marginalized groups, such as Dalits (formerly known as “untouchables”) and tribal people.

The MGNREGA has also had a positive impact on women’s Empowerment. The Act requires that at least one-third of the supervisors of worksites be women. This has led to a significant increase in the number of women in Leadership positions. The MGNREGA has also helped to increase women’s access to financial resources and to improve their bargaining power within the household.

The MGNREGA has also had a positive impact on environmental sustainability. The Act requires that all work under the program be environmentally sustainable. This has led to a significant increase in the number of trees planted and in the amount of land that has been rehabilitated. The MGNREGA has also helped to reduce soil erosion and to improve water conservation.

The MGNREGA has also been credited with providing livelihood security to the rural poor. The Act guarantees a minimum wage for all work under the program. This has helped to improve the incomes of the rural poor and to reduce their vulnerability to poverty. The MGNREGA has also helped to improve the Quality Of Life of the rural poor by providing them with access to basic amenities, such as drinking water, sanitation, and Education.

However, the MGNREGA has also been criticized for its implementation challenges. One of the key challenges is the lack of capacity at the local level to implement the program effectively. This has led to delays in the release of funds and in the implementation of work. Another challenge is the lack of coordination between different government departments at the local level. This has led to duplication of efforts and to delays in the implementation of work.

The MGNREGA has also been criticized for its impact on community power structures. The Act requires that all work under the program be implemented through gram panchayats. This has led to a significant increase in the power of gram panchayats. However, it has also led to conflict between gram panchayats and other local institutions, such as village councils and cooperatives.

Overall, the MGNREGA has been a major success in providing employment and social protection to the rural poor. However, the program has also faced a number of challenges, including implementation challenges and challenges related to its impact on community power structures. The government needs to address these challenges in order to ensure the continued success of the MGNREGA.

What is MNREGA?

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a social security legislation and an employment guarantee programme enacted by the Government of India. It provides for at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

What are the objectives of MNREGA?

The objectives of MNREGA are to:

Provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
Increase the livelihood security of rural households.
Reduce rural poverty.
Promote Economic Development and social Justice in rural areas.
Increase the demand for agricultural and non-agricultural products.
Promote Sustainable Development.

How does MNREGA work?

The MNREGA works through a demand-driven system. The gram panchayat (village council) is the implementing agency at the village level. The gram panchayat receives applications from households seeking employment under MNREGA. The gram panchayat then prepares a work plan and submits it to the District Administration. The district administration sanctions the work plan and releases funds to the gram panchayat. The gram panchayat then implements the work plan and pays wages to the workers.

What are the benefits of MNREGA?

The benefits of MNREGA include:

Increased livelihood security for rural households.
Reduced rural poverty.
Promoted economic development and social justice in rural areas.
Increased the demand for agricultural and non-agricultural products.
Promoted sustainable development.

What are the challenges of MNREGA?

The challenges of MNREGA include:

Delays in wage payments.
Corruption.
Lack of transparency.
Poor quality of work.
Lack of awareness about the scheme.

What are the future prospects of MNREGA?

The future prospects of MNREGA are positive. The scheme has been successful in providing employment and reducing poverty in rural areas. The government is committed to expanding the scheme and making it more effective.

Question 1

Which of the following is not a component of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)?

(A) Guarantee of 100 days of employment per household per year
(B) Payment of wages at the rate of not less than the minimum wage
(C) Choice of work by the household
(D) Payment of wages within 15 days of the completion of work

Answer

(C)

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a social security legislation and an employment guarantee program in India enacted by the UPA government in 2005. The Act provides for the guarantee of 100 days of employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The Act also provides for payment of wages at the rate of not less than the minimum wage, choice of work by the household, and payment of wages within 15 days of the completion of work.

Question 2

Which of the following is not a benefit of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)?

(A) Increased employment opportunities
(B) Improved Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE-in-rural-areas/”>Infrastructure in Rural Areas
(C) Increased income of rural households
(D) Reduced Migration from rural areas

Answer

(D)

The Act has been successful in providing employment opportunities to rural households and improving infrastructure in rural areas. It has also led to an increase in the income of rural households. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the Act has reduced migration from rural areas.

Question 3

Which of the following is not a criticism of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)?

(A) The Act is not well-implemented
(B) The Act is not cost-effective
(C) The Act is not sustainable
(D) The Act is not equitable

Answer

(D)

The Act has been criticized for a number of reasons, including the fact that it is not well-implemented, it is not cost-effective, and it is not sustainable. However, the Act has also been praised for its Equity-enhancing effects.

Question 4

Which of the following is not a way to improve the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)?

(A) Increase the number of employment exchanges
(B) Improve the quality of work
(C) Increase the wages of workers
(D) Reduce the number of days of employment

Answer

(D)

The Act has been criticized for a number of reasons, including the fact that it is not well-implemented. There have been reports of corruption, delays in payment of wages, and poor quality of work. In order to improve the implementation of the Act, the government has taken a number of steps, including increasing the number of employment exchanges, improving the quality of work, and increasing the wages of workers. However, the government has not taken any steps to reduce the number of days of employment.