IMPACT OF MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT ( MNREGA ) ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, (MNREGA) has the potential to transform the geography of poverty. This act is to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household. The present study was conducted in Morar Block of Gwalior district. A sample of 110 beneficiaries of rural poors was used for the fulfillment of objectives under this investigation. Majority of the beneficiaries increased their annual income and belonged medium to high income category. Personal characteristics likeeducation, social participation, land holding, credit availability, source of information, contact with MNREGA personnel, attitude towards scheme and knowledge of the beneficiaries about scheme were observed significant relationship with annual income increased of the beneficiaries due to scheme. The major suggestions for improvement of benefits of the programme was suggested more than one third of the beneficiariesThe entitlement of 100 days should be increased of guaranteed employment in a financial year are in terms of a household. * Asstt. Professor, Dept. of Extension Education, College of Agriculture, RVSKVV, Gwalior. ** P.C. , Dept. of Extension Education, College of Agriculture, RVSKVV, Gwalior. *** Ph. D Scholar, Dept. of Extension Education, College of Agriculture, RVSKVV, Gwalior. **** PA, College of Agriculture, RVSKVV, Gwalior. INTRODUCTION Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), also known as National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme,(NREGS) is Indian legislation enacted on August 25, 2005. The MNREGA provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage. The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), Govt. of India is monitoring the entire implementation of this scheme in association with state governments. This act was introduced with an aim of improving the purchasing power of the rural people, primarily semi or un-skilled work to people living below poverty line in rural India. It attempts to bridge the gap between the rich and poor in the country. Roughly one-third of the stipulated work force must be women. Adult members of rural households submit their name, age and address with photo to the Gram Panchayat. The panchayat registers households after making enquiry and issues a job card. The job card contains the details of adult member enrolled and his /her photo. Registered person can submit an application for work in writing (for at least fourteen days of continuous work) either to panchayat or to Programme Officer. Strong social safeties for the vulnerable groups are providing a fall-back employment source, when other employment alternatives are scarce or inadequate. Growth engines for sustainable development of an agricultural economy. Through the process of providing employment on works that address causes of chronic poverty such as drought, deforestation and soil erosion, the Act seeks to strengthen the natural resource base of rural livelihood and create durable assets in rural areas. Effectively implemented, MNREGA has the potential to transform the geography of poverty. New ways of doing business, as a model of governance reform anchored on the principles of transparency and grass root democracy. Thus, MNREGA fosters Raj. J. Extn. Edu. 19 : 206-209, 2011 Impact of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) on poverty alleviation 207 conditions for inclusive growth ranging from basic wage security and recharging rural economy to a transformative empowerment process of democracy. Keeping the above views the present study was undertaken with following objectives: 1. To assess the impact of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act scheme on beneficiaries. 2. To analyze the association between characteristics of beneficiaries & impact of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act scheme (in terms of increased in annual income). 3. To seek the suggestions for betterment of the scheme. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The present study was conducted in Morar Block of Gwalior district. The district consists of four blocks viz. Morar, Dabra, Ghantigaon and Bhitarwar. Out of these blocks, Morar block was selected purposively as maximum numbers of poor families have been benefited under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). A sample of 110 beneficiaries of landless, marginal, small farmers and rural poor was used for the study. The impact of MNREGA on Poverty Alleviation among the farmers was assessed with the impact of MNREGA in terms of annual income increased due to the programme. The data were collected with the help of a pretested interview schedule from the respondents who were benefited by the programme. The secondary data were collected from the official records and other sources. The independent variables likeage, education, social participation, family size, land holding, credit availability, source of information, contact with MNREGA personnel, cosmopoliteness, attitude towards scheme and knowledge about scheme were included for the study, while impact of MNREGA in terms of annual income was considered as dependent variables. X-test was used for finding the association between dependent and independent variables.