Employment Guarantee Programme and Dynamics of Rural Transformation in India, 1st ed. 2018 Challenges and Opportunities India Studies in Business and Economics Series

This book offers an assessment of the performance, impact, and welfare implications of the world?s largest employment guarantee programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Launched by the Indian government, the programme covers entire rural area of the country. The book presents various micro-level analyses of the programme and its heterogeneous impacts at different scales, almost a decade after its implementation. While there are some doubts over the future of the scheme as well as its magnitude, nature and content, the central government appears committed to it, as a ?convergence scheme? of various other welfare and rural development programmes being implemented at both national and state level. The book discusses the outcomes of the programme and offers critical insights into the lessons learnt, not only in the context of India, but also for similar schemes in countries in South and South-East Asia as well as in Africa, and Latin America. Adopting inter-disciplinary perspectives in analysing these issues, this unique book uses a judicious mix of methods---integrating quantitative and qualitative tools---and will be an invaluable resource for analysts, NGOs, policymakers and academics alike.

Introduction.- Employment Generation under MGNREGA: A Spatial and Temporal Performance across states.- NREGS Implementations and the Dynamics of Rural Labour Markets.- Beyond Digging and Filling Holes Maximizing the Net Positive Impact of MGNREGA.- Has Profitability of Foodgrain Production declined after Implementations of MGNREGA in India?.- From EGS to MNREGA in Maharashtra: were the Program Potentials Achieved?.- Asset Creation under the MGNREGA and Sustainable Agriculture Growth: Impact of Convergence Initiatives in Odisha and West Bengal.- MGNREGS: Political Economy, Local Governance and Asset Creation in South India.- MGNREGS and Inclusive Development: A Case study in Tripura, North East India.- Inter-Sectoral Linkages of MGNREGA in Rainfed Villages in Karnataka : A Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) based Analysis.- Economic Impacts of MGNREGA in Dryland Region of India:  A Case Study of a Drought Prone Districts of Karnataka.- Can Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) Ensure  Inclusive and Resilient Growth in Rainfed Areas: Convergence Lessons Learned and Way Forward.- The Journey of MGNREGA: Is there a Need to go beyond the Business as Usual?.