Question

What are the main features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005?

Answer 1

• Although Governments have implemented many schemes for poverty alleviation, the benefits have not reached all the poor and deserving people.
• Hence monitoring the poverty alleviation programmes has been an important strategy.
• Two pronged strategy of Government has been targeted poverty alleviation programmes and promoting growth of the economy.
• Some of the most important poverty alleviation programmes are Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005.
• In rural areas, to ensure livelihood security, 100 days of employment is assured to every household under MGNREGA.
• It aims to address the problems of soil erosion, deforestation, drought thereby focusing on sustainable development.
• Women have been given reservation for one-third of the proposed jobs.
• MGNREGA aims to provide employment to 4.78 crore households, and focuses on providing employment of 220 crores person days.
• The share of person days among women, ST and SC was 53 percent, 17 percent and 23 percent respectively.