MGNREGA_SAMEEKSHA

Bibliography 99
Abstract: This paper examines the performance of the National Rural Employment Guarantee programme since its launch in
mid-2005. It provides a summary of progress in certain areas and also highlights specific weaknesses. Finally, it describes the
challenges that lie ahead and suggests how these can be overcome.
Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), ‘Guidelines for Convergence: Leveraging NREGA for Sustainable Development
through Inter-sectoral Convergence, 2009–10’, MoRD.
Abstract: MGNREGA with its inter-sectoral approach opens up opportunities for convergence with different programmes.
The aim of convergence is to optimise public investments made under existing Schemes through suggested ways of linking and
steering them towards a common/shared recipient—both physical (area, infrastructure, natural resource) and human (person,
group, agency). To set pace and pilot convergence efforts, the MGNREGA formulated Convergence Guidelines in 2010 and
signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture (ICAR), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Ministry
of Water Resources, the Pradan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) and Schemes for land resource management.
Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), ‘Recommendations of the Working Group on Individual Land and List of
Permissible Works’, Report submitted to the MoRD, 2010.
Abstract: The Ministry of Rural Development set up a committee to research the coverage, quality and support given to
individual works in detail at the GP and at individual and social group levels; many works taken up thus far, are not complete
or not fructuous. The Committee was also to analyse the impact of MGNREGS on agricultural productivity.
The Committee put forth several recommendations, some of these were: Interventions must be specific and based on land
types, soil conditions and monsoon behaviour. Lands belonging to the poor are poor in quality and enhancing it calls for
substantial well-planned measures and spiralling activities that are spread over time; MGNREGS must shift from physical land
development to land husbandry; unless the GS has a say in works and its implementation, investments will have little scope
of being an asset. The key in works on individual lands is to understand and plan on the basis of its specificities along with
incorporating farmers ideas.
Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), ‘Report of the Committee on Revision of MGNREGA Operational Guidelines’,
Report submitted to the MoRD, New Delhi: Government of India, 2012.
Abstract: A committee was set up under the chairmanship of Dr Mihir Shah, Member, Planning Commission to examine ways
in which the Operational Guidelines of MGNREGA could be revised to address concerns to: (i) Expand the list of permissible
works under MGNREGA in order to strengthen the synergy between MGNREGA and rural livelihoods, respond to the
demands of the States for greater location-specific flexibility in permissible works, help improve the ecological balance in rural
India and provide a cleaner, healthier environment to its people; (ii) suggest procedural changes that would help strengthen the
demand-driven character of MGNREGA, which is its real differentia specifica; (iii) strengthen the participatory planning and
implementation process under MGNREGA, so that the programme results in the creation of durable assets and an increase in
farm productivity; (iv) make changes that would infuse the programme with greater efficiency and help overcome the major
complaints under the programme such as delays in payments of wages and, (v) develop effective mechanisms for eliminating
the scope of corruption under the programme.
Mistry, P., and A. Jaswal, ‘Study on the Implementation of NREGS: Focus on Migration’, Ahmedabad: DISHA, 2009.
Abstract: The paper presents findings from a study involving 938 respondents that comprise beneficiaries of the NREGS across
four states and 12 districts. In addition to aspects such as scheme implementation and benefits from NREGS, the authors
highlight the effect on migration across the four states.
Mukherjee, D., and U. B. Sinha, ‘Understanding NREGA: A Simple Theory and Some Facts’, Centre for Development
Economics, Delhi: Delhi School of Economics, 2011.
Abstract: In this paper, using a simple theoretical model, the authors have analysed the impact of the NREGA scheme on (i)
the rural labour market, (ii) income of the poor households and (iii) overall agricultural production. It is seen that the income
from NREGA alone can be a substantial part of the target income of the poor. The authors show that in such a situation, the
poor may exhibit a backward bending supply curve of labour which may lead to an aggregate reduction in agricultural output.