What Are The Entitlements Under The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)?

The Indian economy has always been robust, employing a huge number of skilled and unskilled labourers simultaneously. However, looking at the growing need for opportunities in light of population growth and the lack of unskilled labour, the government of India brought the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) scheme to solve both of these concerns.

Read the article to know more about the govt scheme ranging from its meaning and objectives to the application process and the scheme’s impact.

What Is The MGNREGA Scheme?

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was enacted in 2005 under which the rural households are to be provided wages for at least 100 days in a financial year for unskilled manual work. Its main purpose is to provide working opportunities for citizens from rural areas and help them financially.

Many leaders along with the important organization plays a significant role for the right to work. For example, organising workers for the Government-related Drought Relief Program, as practised by MKSS was instrumental in the formulation of MGNREGA

Objectives Of MGNREGA

MGRNREGA’s primary objective is to provide support to people from rural areas so that they can lead healthy and adequate lives. Some of its other key objectives are:

• Employment generation: The govt scheme aims to provide employment for at least 100 days every year to those people who are willing to do unskilled manual labour for fair wages. It addresses unemployment and underemployment and helps people in becoming financially independent.

• Livelihood security: MGNREGA helps people with steady employment and cash flow for a certain period so that they can support themselves and their families especially those dependent on seasonal gains. It not only helps in reducing poverty but also helps in reducing the rate of migration from rural to urban areas.

• Empowerment to marginalised groups: The govt scheme focuses on providing fair employment opportunities to people from marginalised groups such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and other economically vulnerable communities. It also mandates a fixed percentage of women to be a part of the scheme to empower them financially and promote gender equality.

• Rural infrastructure development: MGNREGA also aims to work on the current infrastructure such as roads, water conservation structures like wells, ponds, and sanitation facilities, and improve their quality. It also focuses on sustainable measures like preserving soil health and ensuring the holistic development of rural India.

• Social inclusion: The scheme works on reducing economic and social gaps between different regions of the country with underdeveloped rural areas. It aims to strengthen rural communities by providing them with all the quality amenities they need and reducing the rate of migration to urban places.

• Local governance: The scheme promotes the formation of local managerial bodies like Gram Panchayat for the planning and implementation of various programs and schemes. This provides people with a local governing body that they can access whenever they might need it without any hesitation. It also encourages them to participate in important village-related decisions as well.

• Financial inclusion: The payments that come from this govt scheme are deposited directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. This promotes financial inclusion and also ensures that fair practices are being carried out in the government system as well.

How To Apply For A MNREGA Job Card?

To apply, fill out the registration form and submit it to the local Gram Panchayat at any time during the year.

You will need to provide:

• A photograph of the applicant

• All applicants of the household including names, ages and gender

• Village name

• Gram Panchayat name

• Block’s name

• Information about the applicant about the SC/ST/IAR/LR privileges

• Applicant’s photograph and/or signature/thumb impression

After applying, the Gram Panchayat will verify:

• Specifically, and about the remaining records of household details,

• Whether the applicants and the household are natives of the area or not

• Whether the applicant is an adult

This verification should be accomplished within fifteen (15) days. Afterwards, the Gram Panchayat will issue the MNREGA Job Card has a validity of 5 years and then it can be renewed.

Benefits Of Entitlements Under MGNREGA

MGNREGA is a lucrative and fruitful scheme that comprises various holistic benefits for the beneficiary. These advantages ensure that a person covered under this scheme and Act can benefit directly as well as indirectly. Let us take a look at the benefits of the MGNREGA scheme:

• MGNREGA Card: A beneficiary is given an MGNREGA card or a job card that entitles them to secure, demand and ask for work. It is an employment guarantee from the state.

• Demand of Work and Unemployment Allowance: A beneficiary under this scheme has the right to ask for at least 14 days of continuous work and be given such work. In case work is unavailable, the person is entitled to seek an unemployment allowance which shall range between one-fourth to half of the minimum age, depending upon the delay in providing work.

• Specific Distance: The worker is entitled to be employed within a radius of 5 KM. In case work is provided beyond such area, a travel allowance amounting to ten per cent of the minimum wage shall be provided.

• Workplace Facilities: A worker is guaranteed certain facilities and conveniences at the workplace. These include creche facilities, shade, water and sanitation, medical treatment, and ex-gratia payment amongst others.

• Time-bound Receiving of Wages: A worker is guaranteed to receive wages within 15 days from the date of completion of such work. In case wages are not received in this period, compensation shall be provided to such a worker.

• Grievance Redressal: Grievance redressal mechanism under the Act mandates such redressal to happen within 7 days of receipt of a complaint.

Hence, the numerous benefits of this Act not only guarantee employment but also ensure the welfare of the rural unskilled labourers.

Also read: The Usha Kiran Yojana: The Scheme That Protects Women From Domestic Violence

What Are The Entitlements For Eligible Rural Individuals?

According to the MGNREGA Act, legally there are rights of rural individuals which provide legal guarantees for employment and wages for work. These entitlements include:

• Employment Guarantee Scheme (Must provide a Job Card to the people)

• Right to demand and to receive work within 15 days

• Right to unemployment allowance

• The right to develop a list of projects that are to be prepared for immediate implementation on the shelf.

• Right to work within a radius of not more than five kilometres.

• Right to worksite facilities

• Right hence is provided to the notified wage rate.

• Right of a worker to receive wages not exceeding 15 days Demands for wages not exceeding 15 days

• Protected under Article 17, it provided the rights to receive timely grievance redressal and the social audits of the expenses made under MGNREGA simultaneously.

What Are The Coverages under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA?

These are some of the works that are encompassed under MGNREGA for which persons can be provided work. These include:

• Agricultural and related activities

• Rural sanitation projects

• Watershed works

• Irrigation & flood management works

• Livestock and fisheries work

• Rural drinking water projects

• Construction of Anganwadi Centres

Challenges Faced Under MGNREGA

The scheme even with its best impact faces a range of challenges that need to be overcome, these challenges are :

• Delay in Wage Payments: One major issue is the time gap in worker compensation, which puts rural households in a difficult financial situation. Payment delays resulting from inefficient procedures can last for several weeks or even months. Transactions have occasionally been delayed or unsuccessful due to issues with digital payment platforms, bank account integration, and Aadhaar linkage.

• Corruption and Mismanagement: Corruption is still a problem despite transparency initiatives like social audits. In certain states, reports of fake job cards have surfaced, resulting in the mismanagement of funds.

• Inadequate Supervision: Although regular audits are required, in certain areas they are not carried out well, which results in improper execution of the program.

• Low-quality assets produced: Some MGNREGA-built infrastructure, like roads and water bodies, is of low quality and is not long-term sustainable. Creating jobs is frequently given more importance than making certain the infrastructure made is long-lasting and beneficial to the community.

• Inadequate Work Availability and Coverage: Although the program promises 100 days of employment, many rural households receive less than the full allotment of days; some receive as little as 40–50 days annually. There may be a mismatch in the labour supply in some areas due to the type of work performed not matching local needs.

Takeaway

The MGNREGA scheme acts as a safety net for its beneficiaries and helps them, especially during economic distress. The scheme is a welfare scheme in furtherance of the Government’s policy to provide employment and security to its subjects.

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