MGNREGA: A lifeline to millions of individuals in the country

MGNREGA scheme aims to provide the poor individuals a chance to work and earn a livelihood so that they can provide the basic necessities to their families.

A huge section of India’s population lives below the poverty line and such individuals do not have sufficient funds to provide for the basic necessities of their life. The Government, therefore, introduces different types of social welfare schemes for the benefit of the low income group individuals. One such social security measure, introduced in the year 2005 by the Union Government led by Dr Manmohan Singh, was the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). The Act was passed in 2005 and the scheme was launched in 2006 when it was renamed to Mahatma Gandhi NREGA or the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Read on more about the scheme which is a lifeline for millions of individuals in the country….

MGNREGA scheme aims to provide the poor individuals a chance to work and earn a livelihood so that they can provide the basic necessities to their families. Under the NREGA scheme, a minimum of 100 days of paid work should be provided to every rural household of India in one year. 

Working of the scheme

Under MGNREGA, every rural household can register itself to avail of a NREGA Job Card. The NREGA Job Card is issued to all the adult members of a rural household who are willing to provide unskilled labour for earning a living. Once individuals have a NREGA card, they can show the card and demand work from the Government under the MGNREGA scheme. The Government would ensure a minimum of 100 work days in a year and pay the NREGA card holders with the minimum wages for their labour.

Entitlements to beneficiaries

Under the NREGA Act, eligible individuals of the rural areas, who can enrol under the MGNREGA scheme have been given legal entitlements. The entitlements allowed under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA scheme are as follows –

• Right to a job card 
• Right to demand and receive work within 15 days
• Right to unemployment allowance
• Right to plan and prepare a shelf of projects
• Right to obtain work within a radius of 5 Kms.
• Right to Receive Wages Within 15 Days

Benefits 

• The scheme allows individuals to earn a minimum income by providing their services.
• The scheme aims to alleviate the problem of unemployment by providing people with a minimum guarantee of 100 days of work in a year
• The poor people can use the scheme to alleviate their poverty and lead a normal life.

Work assigned under the scheme

The scheme covers a wide range of activities under which individuals can seek work or job.

• Agricultural and allied activities
• Rural sanitation projects
• Watershed works
• Irrigation and Flood management works
• Construction of Anganwadi Centres
• Livestock related works
• Fisheries and coastal areas related works
• Rural drinking water projects, etc

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2021-22 allocates Rs 73,000 crore for MGNREGA was allocated.

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