Resource

National experiences in building social protection floors. India's Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme

  • English
Ehmke, E.
ILO
ILO
2015
51
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Summary

This study reviews the legislation and implementation of the Indian Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the light of the provisions of Social protection floors Recommendation, (No. 202), 2012.

The MGNREGA is a major initiative in terms of social security extension in India today, and the base of biggest employment programme in the world. It is a central pillar of India’s national social protection floor. Since its inception in 2006 the national employment guarantee scheme based on the MGNREGA has provided a source of income to rural workers, increased wage rates, achieved high female participation rates and created durable assets. The local Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) have been empowered and involved in the processes of planning and monitoring. However, this success has been tainted by shortcomings in implementation such as rationing of employment, delayed wage payments, the failure to pay allowances, and ensuring quality of assets, as well as their maintenance.

In the light of the provision of Recommendation No. 202, this study highlights three central themes: first, the innovative policy framework of the Act, which brings together rights-based entitlements, demand-driven employment, and citizen-centred monitoring. Second, it assesses the practices of access, benefit allocation and labour protection in the MGNREGA works. And third, it reviews the administrative organisation of governance, finances and coordination within the larger policy framework. The study concludes that the employment guarantee schemes based on MGNREGA reflect many of the provisions of Recommendation No. 202. They show some remarkable features from which other countries – or also other states and regions within India – can learn. 

ESS Paper Series (ILO) 10164 India Social protection policy , Employment services , Informal economy workers , Rural workers , Employment policy , Poverty
01.12.2015