Siddaramaiah: Centre dismantling MGNREGA, undermining rural workers' rights
Karnataka CM accuses Centre of dismantling MGNREGA, harming rural employment.
Photo by Markus Spiske
Key Facts
MGNREGA replaced by: VB-GRAM G Act
Workers employed under MGNREGA: 12.16 crore
Women employed under MGNREGA: 6.21 crore
UPSC Exam Angles
GS Paper II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Connects to syllabus areas of poverty alleviation, rural development, and social justice.
Potential question types: Analytical questions on the effectiveness of MGNREGA, critical evaluation of recent changes, and comparative analysis with other employment schemes.
Visual Insights
MGNREGA Key Statistics (2026)
Key statistics related to MGNREGA, highlighting its impact and reach.
- Total Workers Employed
- 13.5 Crore
- Women Workers Employed
- 7.0 Crore
- Average Days of Employment per Household
- 48 Days
- Budget Allocation for MGNREGA
- ₹98,000 Crore
Indicates the scale of employment generated by the scheme.
Highlights the scheme's contribution to women's empowerment.
Shows the extent of employment provided per household under MGNREGA.
Reflects the government's commitment to the scheme.
More Information
Background
The roots of MGNREGA can be traced back to pilot programs in the 1970s aimed at providing employment in drought-prone areas. The Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) launched in 1993 and the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) in 2001 were significant precursors. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) was finally enacted in 2005, guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment to rural households willing to do unskilled manual work.
It was later renamed MGNREGA in 2009. The Act's design drew inspiration from the Maharashtra Employment Guarantee Act of 1977, which was a pioneering effort in providing employment as a legal right. The initial focus was on poverty reduction and rural infrastructure development.
Latest Developments
In recent years, MGNREGA has faced challenges including delays in wage payments, insufficient funding, and allegations of corruption. There have been debates about expanding the scheme's scope to include more skilled labor and linking it with agricultural activities to enhance its impact on rural livelihoods. The government has been exploring ways to improve the efficiency and transparency of the scheme through technological interventions such as direct benefit transfer (DBT) and geo-tagging of assets.
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data indicates fluctuating demand for MGNREGA work, influenced by factors like agricultural seasons and economic conditions. Future outlook involves greater convergence with other rural development programs and a focus on creating durable assets.
Practice Questions (MCQs)
1. Consider the following statements regarding the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA): 1. It guarantees 150 days of wage employment to rural households willing to do unskilled manual work. 2. The Act mandates that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women. 3. Social Audit of MGNREGA works is mandatory in every Gram Panchayat. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Answer: B
Statement 1 is incorrect because MGNREGA guarantees 100 days of wage employment, not 150. Statements 2 and 3 are correct.
2. Which of the following committees/commissions is/are associated with the evolution and reforms of rural employment programs in India? 1. Dantwala Committee 2. Hanumantha Rao Committee 3. Mihir Shah Committee Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A.1 only
- B.1 and 2 only
- C.2 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Answer: D
All the mentioned committees are associated with rural employment programs. Dantwala Committee focused on block-level planning, Hanumantha Rao Committee on rural employment, and Mihir Shah Committee on MGNREGA reforms.
3. Assertion (A): MGNREGA aims to enhance livelihood security of households in rural areas of India. Reason (R): It provides 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. In the context of the above, which one of the following is correct?
- A.Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
- B.Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
- C.A is true but R is false
- D.A is false but R is true
Show Answer
Answer: A
Both the assertion and the reason are correct, and the reason correctly explains the assertion. MGNREGA's primary aim is indeed to provide livelihood security through guaranteed employment.
4. Which of the following statements is NOT correct regarding the impact of MGNREGA? A) It has led to a decrease in distress migration from rural areas. B) It has contributed to an increase in agricultural wages. C) It has resulted in the creation of durable assets in rural areas. D) It has uniformly reduced poverty across all states in India.
- A.It has led to a decrease in distress migration from rural areas.
- B.It has contributed to an increase in agricultural wages.
- C.It has resulted in the creation of durable assets in rural areas.
- D.It has uniformly reduced poverty across all states in India.
Show Answer
Answer: D
While MGNREGA has contributed to poverty reduction, its impact has not been uniform across all states due to varying implementation efficiencies and local conditions.