Rahul Gandhi Calls for Unity to Revive MGNREGA Scheme
Rahul Gandhi urges workers to unite and strengthen the MGNREGA scheme.
Photo by Rohit Dey
Key Facts
Rahul Gandhi: Urges unity to revive MGNREGA
MGNREGA: Important for rural employment
Criticism: Current government weakening the scheme
UPSC Exam Angles
GS Paper 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
GS Paper 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
Potential question types: Statement-based questions on features, challenges, and impact of MGNREGA; analytical questions on its role in poverty alleviation and rural development.
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More Information
Background
The MGNREGA's roots lie in earlier employment schemes like the National Rural Employment Programme (NREP) and the Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP) launched in the 1980s. These programs aimed to address rural poverty and unemployment but lacked the legal backing and universal coverage of MGNREGA. The idea of a legally guaranteed employment scheme gained momentum in the late 1990s and early 2000s, driven by advocacy groups and economists who emphasized the need for a rights-based approach to social security.
The National Food for Work Programme, launched in 2004, served as a precursor to MGNREGA, piloting the concept of wage employment on public works. Finally, the MGNREGA was enacted in 2005, marking a significant shift towards a demand-driven, legally enforceable employment guarantee.
Latest Developments
In recent years, MGNREGA has faced challenges including delayed wage payments, reduced budgetary allocations, and concerns about the quality of assets created. There has been increasing emphasis on convergence with other rural development schemes like the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) to enhance its impact. The use of technology, such as geo-tagging of assets and electronic fund management systems (e-FMS), has been promoted to improve transparency and efficiency.
Debates continue regarding the optimal wage rate under MGNREGA, with some arguing for linking it to inflation and others advocating for a higher minimum wage. The future of MGNREGA hinges on addressing these challenges and adapting the scheme to the evolving needs of rural India, including climate change resilience and skill development.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is MGNREGA and why is it important according to Rahul Gandhi?
According to Rahul Gandhi, MGNREGA is crucial for providing employment in rural areas and reducing poverty. He emphasizes its role in providing livelihood security to millions of rural households.
2. What are the key facts about MGNREGA that are important for UPSC Prelims?
MGNREGA is important for rural employment, and Rahul Gandhi is urging for its revival. The current government is being criticized for allegedly weakening the scheme.
Exam Tip
Focus on the objectives and impact of MGNREGA for prelims.
3. What criticism has Rahul Gandhi made regarding the current government and MGNREGA?
Rahul Gandhi has criticized the current government for allegedly weakening the MGNREGA scheme. He believes this undermines its ability to provide livelihood security to rural households.
4. What is the historical background of MGNREGA?
MGNREGA's roots lie in earlier employment schemes like NREP and RLEGP launched in the 1980s. These programs aimed to address rural poverty and unemployment but lacked the legal backing and universal coverage of MGNREGA.
5. Why is MGNREGA in the news recently?
MGNREGA is in the news because Rahul Gandhi has called for workers to unite and revive the scheme, emphasizing its importance for rural employment and poverty alleviation.
6. What are the recent developments related to MGNREGA?
Recent developments include challenges like delayed wage payments, reduced budgetary allocations, and concerns about the quality of assets created. There is increasing emphasis on convergence with other rural development schemes.
7. What are the pros and cons of MGNREGA?
MGNREGA provides livelihood security and reduces poverty in rural areas (pro). However, it has faced challenges such as delayed wage payments and concerns about asset quality (con).
8. What reforms are needed to strengthen MGNREGA?
Based on available information, addressing delayed wage payments and improving the quality of assets created are potential areas for reform.
9. What are the important dates/figures to remember regarding MGNREGA for the UPSC exam?
As per the topic, there are no specific dates or figures mentioned that need to be remembered. Focus on the general aspects of the scheme.
Exam Tip
Understand the evolution and objectives of MGNREGA.
10. How does Rahul Gandhi's call to revive MGNREGA impact common citizens?
If MGNREGA is strengthened, it can provide more employment opportunities and livelihood security for rural households, directly benefiting common citizens in rural areas.
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 in a financial year to rural households whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. 2. The Act mandates that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women. 3. Wage rates under MGNREGA are fixed by the Central Government, based on Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL). 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. In the context of MGNREGA, what is the primary objective of 'convergence' with other schemes?
- A.To reduce the budgetary allocation for MGNREGA
- B.To eliminate corruption in MGNREGA implementation
- C.To enhance the impact of MGNREGA by integrating it with other rural development programs
- D.To transfer MGNREGA workers to other sectors
Show Answer
Answer: C
Convergence aims to maximize the benefits of MGNREGA by linking it with other schemes like NRLM and PMKSY, leading to more holistic rural development.
3. Which of the following committees/commissions is/are associated with the evolution and assessment of rural employment programs in India? 1. Dantwala Committee 2. Lakdawala Committee 3. Hanumantha Rao Committee Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Answer: D
All the mentioned committees are associated with the evolution and assessment of rural employment programs. Dantwala Committee focused on block-level planning, Lakdawala Committee on poverty estimation, and Hanumantha Rao Committee on rural employment.