Context:
Demand for unskilled jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) surged in May and early June 2025, but economists emphasize this is not necessarily a sign of rural distress. Rather, it reflects a seasonal pattern before the monsoon-led sowing begins.
What is MGNREGA ?
- MINISTRY
- Ministry of Rural Development
About
- MGNREGA was launched in the year 2005 as one of the largest work guaranteed program by the Ministry of Rural Government .
- The basic objective of MGNREGA was providing 100 days guaranteed employment in every financial year to any rural or adult people who are willing to do public work – related which is unskilled manual work.
Legal Right to Work
- Women should be at least one-third of the beneficiaries of this scheme .
- Wages should be paid as prescribed under the Minimum Wages Act,1948 as specified for the agricultural labourers in state.
Demand Driven Scheme
- The most crucial and important part of MGNREGA is that work should be provided to any rural or adult person within 15 days when demanded and if he/she did not get the work on proper time “unemployment allowance” must be paid to them.
- The demand-driven program allows the self-selection of work .
Decentralized Planning
- Through giving significant roles to Panchayati Raj Institutions there is a focus on strengthening the way or process of decentralization .
- Now this act is mandating the Gram Sabha for recommending the works which are to be undertaken and a minimum of 50% work should be performed by them.
