Manrega yojna

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) or (Manrega yojna), originally known as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (or NREGA-42, later renamed as the "Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act"), is an Indian labor law and social security measure whose goal is to provide the 'right to work.'

Its objective is to provide a minimum of 100 days of employment in a financial year for every household in rural areas, where the adult members engage in unskilled manual work.

The Act was first proposed by P.V. Narasimha Rao in 1991. It was eventually passed by Parliament in 2006 and implemented in India's 625 districts. Based on this pilot experience, NREGA was extended to all districts in India from April 1, 2008. The government has referred to this law as the "world's largest and most ambitious social security and public works program." According to the 2014 Development Report, the World Bank called it a "landmark in rural development."

MGNREGA (Manrega yojna) was initiated with the goal of enhancing livelihood security in rural areas by providing a guaranteed minimum of 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Another objective of MGNREGA is to create durable assets such as roads, canals, ponds, and wells within a 5-kilometer radius of the applicant's residence, with the payment of minimum wages. If work is not provided within 15 days of applying, the applicant is entitled to unemployment benefits. In this way, employment under MGNREGA (Manrega yojna) is a legal entitlement.

MGNREGA (Manrega yojna) is primarily implemented by Gram Panchayats (village councils). The participation of contractors is prohibited. Priority is given to labor-intensive activities related to water conservation, drought relief, and flood control.

Besides providing economic security and creating rural assets, NREGA can also aid in environmental conservation, empower rural women, reduce rural-to-urban migration, and enhance social equity.

In summary, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is a significant Indian labor law and social security initiative designed to provide rural households with a right to work and improve rural livelihoods while addressing various economic and social issues in the countryside.