Question : Assessment of MGNREGS

(a) whether the Government or any of its agency has made any assessment of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) with the purpose of finding out the extent to which the said scheme has succeeded in improving the standard of living in rural areas, if so, the details and findings thereof, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the Government proposes to widen the coverage of MGNREGS and strengthen it to enable inclusion of more activities including agriculture thereunder for rural development and increasing the permitted number of work days under the said scheme;

(c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the time by which such a decision is likely to be taken and implemented in order to make the said scheme more vibrant andeffective?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)

(a): Several Studies have been conducted by independent research institutions on the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). These studies have been published by the Ministry of Rural Development and United Nations Development Programme (India). The results of the studies show that:

1. MGNREGA appears to be largely successful in its targeting. Studies show that MGNREGA due to its self-selecting demand driven design is able to engage with the most vulnerable and marginalised.

2. Several Studies also suggest that beneficiaries find the works useful; works increased the land productivity, helped multi-cropping, helped to manage risks and reduced vulnerability.

3. The evidence on MGNREGA and its impact on rural labour markets are mixed.

4. The evidence that MGNREGA mitigates distress migration is limited to the western and the eastern contexts, is yet compelling. While women’s participation rates in MGNREGA are satisfactory at the aggregate national level much higher than the mandatory 33%, several states need to address low women participation rates in their contexts.

(b)to(d): The Ministry has comprehensively revised the list of permissible works under MGNREGA vide Gazette Notification dated 3.1.2014. The revised works as listed in Para 4(1), Schedule I of MGNREGA, 2005 is at Annexure. The States/ UTs can take up any work out of the works listed in Schedule-1, MGNREGA.

Vide the Notification dated 21.07.2014, amendments have been made by the Government in paragraph 4 and 20 of Schedule –I of the MGNREGA providing for at least 60% of the works in a district in terms of cost for creation of productive assets directly linked to agriculture and allied activities through development of land, water and trees.