Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act The majority of India’s population lives below the poverty line, and these people do not have enough money to meet their basic needs. As a result, the government implements various types of social welfare schemes for the benefit of low-income individuals. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, enacted in 2005, was one such social security measure.
The Act was passed in 2005, and the scheme was launched in 2006, when it was renamed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Since its inception, the MGNREGA scheme has grown to become the world’s largest social security scheme.
What exactly is MGNREGA or NREGA?
The National Rural Employment Act (NREGA), now known as the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Act (MGNREGA), was proposed by Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Minister of Rural Development, and passed by the Indian Parliament.
As the “right to work,” this act is regarded as an important measure taken by India’s labour law to provide social security to Indians. MGNREGA, which was enacted in September 2005, guarantees a minimum of 100 days of paid work per fiscal year. This act applies to all Indian household members who volunteer for unskilled manual labour.
If you register for this system, you must find work within 15 days of your registration date. Except for Jammu and Kashmir, MGNREGA applies to all states in India. The allocated minimum wages are equal for all and may differ by state.
MGNREGA Objectives
Strong social safety net for vulnerable groups by providing a backup employment source when other options are scarce or inadequate.
An agricultural economy’s growth engine for long-term development.
The Act seeks to strengthen the natural resource base of rural livelihoods and create long-term assets in rural areas by providing employment on projects that address chronic poverty causes such as drought, deforestation, and soil erosion. MGNREGA, if properly implemented, has the potential to change the geography of poverty.
Rural poor empowerment through the processes of a rights-based law
New business practises as a model of governance reform based on the principles of transparency and grassroots democracy Thus, MGNREGA fosters inclusive growth conditions ranging from basic wage security and recharging the rural economy to a transformative democratic empowerment process.
MGNREGA Scheme Eligibility
The Mahatma Gandhi NREGA or NREGA is administered by the central government, and people who can benefit from the scheme must meet the eligibility criteria listed below:
The applicant must be an Indian citizen and over the age of 18 at the time of application.
He should be a member of a local household under the supervision of the Gram Panchayat.
The applicant for NREGA should have volunteered for unskilled labour.
Status of Implementation
The scheme was implemented in 200 districts during the 2006-07 fiscal year and 130 districts during the 2007-08 fiscal year.
NREGA was expanded to cover the entire rural area of the country in April 2008, covering 34 states and union territories, 614 districts, 6,096 blocks, and 2.65 lakh Gram Panchayats.
In the fiscal year 2015-16, the scheme now covers 648 districts, 6,849 blocks, and 2,50,441 Gram Panchayats.
Important information
MGNREGA provides a hundred days of wage employment to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual labour in a fiscal year.
Individual beneficiary-oriented works can be undertaken on the cards of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, small or marginal farmers or beneficiaries of land reforms, or beneficiaries of the Government of India’s Indira Awaas Yojana.
Wage employment will be provided to the applicant within 15 days of submitting the application or from the day work is requested.
Right to unemployment benefits if no work is found within fifteen days of submitting an application or from the date work is sought.
Wages must be received within fifteen days of completion of work.
Gram Panchayats may undertake a variety of permissible works.
MGNREGA focuses on women’s economic and social empowerment.
MGNREGA offers “Green” and “Decent” employment.
Social audits of MGNREGA projects are required, which promotes accountability and transparency.
MGNREGA works to address the vulnerability of farmers to climate change, protect them from such risks, and conserve natural resources.
The Gram Sabha is the primary forum for wage earners to express themselves and make demands.
The Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat approve the shelf of works under MGNREGA and determine their priority.
How to Apply for the NREGA Scheme
When submitting an application under the NREGA scheme, keep the following points in mind:
Applicants should submit their applications either in writing or orally to a Ward member of the Gram Panchayat. According to State Government approval, the application can be made by phone, the Interactive Voice Response System, mobile, website, call centre, or kiosk setup.
If the application is in writing, the applicant must include specific information such as the Job Card registration number, the date the work is needed, and the number of days needed. Applicants may submit a handwritten application or a printed proforma, both of which are available free of charge from the Gram Panchayat.
To assess demand, Gram Panchayats must designate ward members, school teachers, Self-help groups, Anganwadi workers, village-level revenue functionaries, Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Labour Groups, and Common Service Centres (CSCs) to receive job applications on a regular basis.
When applying for employment, rural workers must be present at the Gram Panchayat Office. The Gram Rojgar Sahayak will record all employment-related information.
Advance work applications are possible, and the government has made provisions for multiple applications to be completed by a single person. The applicant must make certain that the various work periods do not overlap. Individuals can also make a single application for multiple periods of employment throughout the year.
Rural workers can also submit joint applications with the inclusion of multiple applicants. This can be done through NGOs and other authorised organisations, as well as by themselves.
1)Who qualifies for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme? Ans In September 2005, the Indian government passed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. The Act guarantees adult members of rural households who want to work and are willing to do unskilled manual labour a hundred days of wage employment in a fiscal year.
2)Is a job card required for MGNREGA? Ans The Job Card is an important document that records workers’ MGNREGA entitlements. It gives registered households the legal right to apply for jobs, ensures transparency, and protects workers from fraud.
3)Who are the MGNREGA beneficiaries? Ans Individual beneficiary-oriented works can be undertaken on the cards of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, small or marginal farmers or beneficiaries of land reforms, or beneficiaries of the Government of India’s Indira Awaas Yojana.
4)What are the advantages of the MGNREGA scheme? MGNREGA Advantages
Ans It strengthens the Gram Panchayats’ authority. It ensures that paid employment is available in the country’s rural areas. It promotes the social inclusion of the country’s rural population. It ensures better use of the country’s rural regions’ land and water resources.
5)Is MGNREGA a government or a private initiative? Ans That is, if the government fails to provide employment, it is required to provide certain unemployment benefits to those individuals. As a result, employment under MGNREGA is a legal right.
