Declining Central Allocation for MGNREGS Negatively Impacts Income and Employment of Rural Women
Activists have raised concerns over the declining Central budget allocation for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). They argue that reduced funding is leading to a shortage of available work, effectively pushing the scheme back to its pre-2006 status. This trend particularly affects rural women, who constitute over 50% of the MGNREGS workforce. In the current financial year, women completed 56% of the total person-days. The scheme has historically been a tool for gender pay parity in rural areas, where women previously earned significantly less than men for similar work, making its funding crucial for social equity.
Key Points
- Women represent more than 50% of the workforce in MGNREGS projects across India.
- Reduced budget allocations are causing a 'starving' of the welfare program, leading to work unavailability.
- MGNREGS provided rural women with equal pay for the first time, bridging the gap in agricultural wages.
- In the current financial year, 56% of total person-days under the scheme were completed by women.
Exam Facts
- MGNREGA was enacted in 2005 and implemented in 2006.
- A 'person-day' is defined as the total number of workdays by a person registered under the scheme in a financial year.
- Women's participation in MGNREGS is currently at 56% of total person-days.
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