Socio–Economic Impact of Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in Churachandpur District, Manipur: A Beneficiary Perspective

Shishi Khawlneikim; Meenakshi Mital

Volume : IV, Issue : XII, December - 2015

Socio–Economic Impact of Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in Churachandpur District, Manipur: A Beneficiary Perspective

Shishi Khawlneikim, Meenakshi Mital

Abstract :

Indian Government has created labour intensive rural work programme since the past several years however, they were not based on the right to work. They are just additional employment opportunities provided by the State to a few as and when required. Commitment of the Government towards promoting rural employment with equal opportunities for the rural poor have been felt with the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with an objective to provide 100 days of employment in a year to the rural people of the country. Never before in development history of India there has been an initiative of this nature and magnitude where the rural poor have a direct benefit from wage employment. And this gainful employment becomes the channel for fulfilment of basic necessity of life, the right to live, right to food and right to education. The study was conducted in Manipur State of Churachandpur District. Rural people of Manipur rely largely on earning from unskilled wage labour to other farm or non–farm enterprise in which one is directly participating in productivity gains by producing more on their land or finding more employment opportunities either on someone else’s land or in some non–farm enterprises. Agriculture which is the major occupation for the people of the State could not be rely upon due to bad monsoon condition and lack of irrigational facilities, modern farm equipment and fertilizers. In fact, more than half of the population is unemployed due to non–availability of employment in the State. Therefore, MGNREGS has a very significant role in a State like Manipur as it provides the rural people with the right to work and enhance their livelihood. Random sampling method was used to study the beneficiaries. The study investigated the impact of MGNREGS on socio–economic condition and satisfaction level of beneficiaries regarding provisions of the programme. Beneficiaries who are working under MGNREGS for the last two years were selected for the study in view to understand and elicit in–depth information about the programme impact in the selected district. The study found that MGNREGS had a positive impact on the life of beneficiaries, by enabling them to have two square meals a day, reducing abject poverty and search for other means of work. It also help them reduced their dependence on money lenders and took them out of perpetual debt. However, it also showed that most of the beneficiaries had not got their children enrolled in schools. With regard to satisfaction level, the beneficiaries were largely satisfied with the provisions and implementation of the programme. There were some reasons for dissatisfaction like– untimely payment of wages, unsatisfactory wages earned per day and lack of provisioning of worksite facilities. Suggestions for better provisioning an implementation have been the outcomes of the study.