Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which was launched in 2005, is witnessing a historic high in women’s participation in the current financial year of 2023-24. The scheme has seen an increase in the involvement of women over the last decade, with figures rising from 53.19% during the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020-21 to a current rate of 59.25%.
Regional Trends in Women’s Participation
The trends in women’s participation in MGNREGS vary regionally. Southern states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Goa have demonstrated notably high levels of women’s engagement, surpassing 70%. However, northern states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are lagging at around 40% or below. Despite these historical disparities, some states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Lakshadweep, have shown improvements in women’s participation rates in the ongoing fiscal year.
Rural Labour Force Trends
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation documents that there has been a significant surge in the female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in rural areas, apart from the MGNREGS. Notably, the rural female LFPR has increased from 18.2% in 2017-18 to 30.5% in 2022-23. Concurrently, female unemployment rates have declined from 3.8% to 1.8%.
About MGNREGA Scheme
MGNREGA is one of the largest work guarantee programmes globally. It provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment in each financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to engage in public work-related unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage. The scheme is monitored by the Ministry of Rural Development in association with state governments.
Achievements and Features of MGNREGA
The cornerstone of MGNREGA’s design is its legal guarantee, which ensures that any rural adult can request work and must receive it within 15 days. If this commitment is not met, an “unemployment allowance” must be provided. The Act also demands giving priority to women in such a way that at least one-third of beneficiaries are registered women seeking work.
Challenges in the Implementation of the Scheme
Despite many accomplishments, there are considerable challenges in executing the MGNREGA scheme. These include a delay in wages disbursal, insufficiency of funds, caste-based segregation, ineffective role of the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI), the large number of incomplete works, and issues related to fake job cards and fictitious names.
Initiatives under MGNREGS
Several initiatives have been introduced under MGNREGS, such as construction/renovation of Amrit Sarovars in each district, Jaldoot App for measuring water level in Gram Panchayats twice a year, and Ombudsperson App for smooth reporting of grievances related to the implementation of MGNREGS.
Way Forward: Ensuring Consistent Fund Flow and Empowering Councils
To address these challenges and improve the outcomes of the MGNREGA scheme, it is crucial to ensure consistent fund flow to states and implementing agencies while leveraging digital tools for transparent, timely wage payments. It is also important to focus on exclusion errors and identify areas where marginalized Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe families are missing out on MGNREGA benefits. Furthermore, the State and Central Employment Guarantee Councils need to be empowered for informed decision making, incorporating public participation through assemblies, civil society, and worker unions.
Ultimately, MGNREGA plays an essential role in improving the purchasing power of rural people, primarily providing semi or unskilled work to those living below the poverty line in rural India. While achievements have been made, particularly concerning women’s participation, addressing the existing challenges will ensure the program continues to serve as a bridge between the rich and poor in the country.
