Decentralization and Implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005

Abstract

Abstract

The passage of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in 2005 marks a new chapter in Indian history as well as the history of decentralization in India. Through this Act, the state is committed to providing 100 days employment in a financial year to every household which demands unskilled manual work and whose adult members volunteer to do such work. The principal implementing agency under the Act is Gram Panchayat. A Real bottleneck in MGNREGA implementation is the lack of functionaries at the cutting edge of implementation, with serious consequences for the bottom-up, people-centered architecture of MGNREGA. The shortage of staff has had a serious impact on key parameters like high quality people centered planning and implementation of works, availability of employment on time, timely measurements and hence timely payments The non-appointment of staff and giving the additional charge to the BDO’s strikes at the root of effective implementation of the scheme. The lack of professional support to the Gram Panchayats in the implementation of MGNREGA needs to be stepped up.