Improvements in MGNREGS since 2014-15

The MGNREGS program has evolved over the last two years to increase its focus on creation of durable assets, diversification of livelihood opportunities, selection of public works in congruence with other infrastructure programs such as PMGSY and PMAY-Grameen and a greater thrust on natural resource management and agriculture & allied activities. This is expected to improve farmers’ income and enlarge their wage opportunities.

• The programme is self-targeted. Often those who belong to deprived households and depend on casual labour are beneficiaries.
• The program also provides a higher number of days of employment (150 days instead of 100 days) in drought affected areas.
• Technological and programmatic improvements have been made in the last two years.
• MGNREGS job cards for 10.9 crore active workers was digitalized, of which 8.7 crore workers had their job cards seeded with Aadhaar
• 4 crore workers were brought into the Aadhaar payment bridge
• Nearly 39 lakh MGNREGS assets were geotagged since September 2016. These were provided publicly to improve accountability and transparency
• 95% of MGNREGS wages were paid into beneficiary accounts, thereby, reducing scope for out-of-system leakage of wage payments
• About 68% of active job cards were also verified and updated
• As a result, the number of completed works has increased from 25-30 lakhs (yearly average since inception) to 48 lakhs in the current year.
• 70% of these works is in Agriculture & Allied activities (an increase from 50% in 2013-14).
• Additionally participation of women in MGNREGS increased from 40% in 2006-2007 to 56% in 2016-17.

At a time when international integration is under siege and when India is on the cusp of implementing transformational reforms to create “One India, One Market, One Tax,” via the Goods and Services Tax (GST), it seems appropriate to ask how much internal integration India has achieved.