IMPACT OF MGNREGA ON EMPLOYMENT AND COMMUNITY ASSETS CREATION: A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY BETWEEN MOKOKCHUNG AND MON DISTRICTS OF NAGALAND

Abstract:

MGNREGA is an Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the ‘right to work’. It aims to provide livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members are willing to work for manual work under the scheme. This study covers the performance of MGNREGA in regard to socio-economic status, employment generation and community asset creation in the districts of Mokokchung and Mon under Nagaland. This research study is purely based on primary data which was collected during the 2015-16. The study found that MGNREGA has impact on employment of beneficiaries and community asset creation in the sample districts. The study revealed that the average annual mandays generation from MGNREGA was found highest in Aliba village with an average of 50.89 Mandays under Mokokchung district while under Mon district it was found in Chenwetnyu with an average of 50.14 Mandays. The overall average annual Mandays generated under Mokokchung district was found at 47.44 from MGNREGA while under Mon district it was 46.75 average Mandays during the study period. About 60% works were done for the construction of roads, 15% land development, and 25% for water conservation, plantation, environment protection and minor irrigation works. The field survey revealed creation of community assets such as road connectivity, footsteps, water tank, social forestry, and retaining / protection wall, cardamom cultivation in some selected villages, drainage construction and minor irrigation particularly in Mon district. Therefore the comparative analysis shows that Mokokchung district performs better than Mon district in terms of employment generation to beneficiaries and community assets creation.