Answer:

MGNREGS has served as a source of employment for the poor in distress situations such as drought, crop failures and lean rural employment days.

♤ It has helped raise rural wages steadily over time, and in places where it has been implemented well, built rural assets such as irrigation canals and roads have augmented local infrastructure.

Design of MGNREGA Program

The design of MGNREGA ensures:

♤ Rights- based, demand- driven approach: Estimation and planning of work is conducted on the basis of the demand for work. Hence, beneficiaries of the scheme are enabled to decide the point in time at which they want to work.

♤ Financial Inclusion: Since 2008, all wage payments have had to be transferred to bank or post office accounts of beneficiaries.

♤ Social Security Measures: In 2008, a provision was created which made it possible to cover beneficiaries under either the Janashree Bima Yojana (JBY) or the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY).

♤ Use of information technology: in terms of identification, implementation and distribution of wage payments has been made through e-FMS (Electronic Fund Management System ) and

♤ Gender Equity: Men and women are entitled to equal payment of wages. One- third of the beneficiaries are supposed to be women. Worksite facilities like creches are to be provided at all worksites.

♤ Transparency and Accountability – All MGNREGA- related accounts and records documents have to be available for public scrutiny. Contractors and use of machinery is prohibited.

♤ Decentralized Planning

o Gram Sabhas to recommend works

o At least 50% of works by Gram Panchayats for execution

o Principal role of PRIs in planning, monitoring and implementation