MGNREGA_SAMEEKSHA

Sustainable Asset Creation 35
be: diffusion of benefits over a large group and less
individual ownership, disproportionate benefits
accrued to influential groups, or weak Panchayati
Raj Institutions (PRIs). 50 From the point of view of
reducing poverty, public works are prone to being taken
over by interest groups (here, interest groups refers to
stakeholder groups defined on the basis of traditional
hierarchies, caste, etc. These groups may, sometimes,
block equal and open access to community resources
like ponds etc.). 51 Thus, the choice between the two
kinds of assets, in some cases, provides for a paradox
between equity (since community resources can
potentially benefit more people) and effectiveness (as
works on private lands appear to be better maintained
and more sustainable). 52
On effective utilisation of resources, a similar
comparison may also be drawn between creation
of new assets and renovation of old assets. A study
found that while creation of new assets was beneficial,
investments in expanding, deepening, improving
and renovating existing assets provided the highest
returns; existing assets renovations had a return of
136 per cent, much higher than the return on new
assets created which was 65 per cent (see Figure 3.2). 53
Multiple uses of MGNREGA Assets
Most assets created under MGNREGA are
used for multiple purposes. As studies in Bihar,
Figure 3.2
140%
Benefits from One Year of Use as a Proportion of the Investment Made in Different
Best-performing Asset-types across Four States
136%
120%
116%
100%
98%
80%
60%
65%
40%
35%
20%
0%
Assets on
Public Land
Assets on
Private Land
New Assets
Created
Existing Assets
Renovated
All Assets
Source: Verma, MG-NREGA Assets and Rural Water Security.
50
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are systems of local governance in rural India at three levels of administration: village,
block and district.
51
Bassi and Kumar, NREGA and Rural Water Management in India.
52
Verma, Multiple Use Water Services in India.
53
Ibid.