This guide highlights how the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) can be better implemented to truly benefit rural communities. Despite its potential, the scheme faces issues like poor community awareness, lack of coordination among stakeholders, and delays in approving and executing plans. These problems prevent the scheme from fully achieving its goal of providing employment while also promoting sustainable livelihoods and restoring natural resources.
The document emphasizes the importance of involving villagers, especially farmers and Gram Panchayat members, in planning under MGNREGS. It stresses the need for better awareness about natural resource degradation and how MGNREGS can help address these issues. By focusing on activities like afforestation, water conservation, land development, and building agricultural infrastructure, the scheme can create valuable assets that directly improve people’s lives.
On the technical side, the guide explains the step-by-step processes for submitting plans, getting approvals, preparing labour budgets, and using software tools like SECURE for accurate project estimates. It also covers essential tasks like geo-tagging project sites, ensuring demand for labour is properly recorded, and maintaining transparent records.
Case studies in the document reveal real-world problems like faulty data entry, poor communication between villages and authorities, and frustrating delays in technical and financial approvals. They also show how the lack of coordination and guidance can derail even well-intentioned projects.
The report calls for simplifying procedures, making guidelines easier to access, training field staff effectively, and most importantly, actively involving communities in every step of the process. With better coordination between government agencies, NGOs, and local communities, MGNREGS can truly fulfill its potential as a tool for sustainable development and livelihood improvement.
Keywords: MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme), Planning, Implementation, Natural Resource Management (NRM), Labour Budget, Community Participation, Afforestation, Water Conservation, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI), Sustainable Livelihoods
Implementing MGNREGS Effectively: A Facilitators’ Manual
Send download link to:
