Agriculture Update

Priyanshu Tripathi ¹, Nikita Wadhawan ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Foods and Nutrition, College of Home Science, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan), IN
2 College of Dairy and Food Science Technology, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan), IN

Abstract

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is considered as a “Silver Bullet” for eradicating rural poverty and unemployment, by way of generating demand for productive labour force in villages. It provides an alternative source of livelihood. It has been considered as the largest anti-poverty programme in the world. The MGNREGA and food security are significantly interlinked and the act gives a necessary push to the purchasing power. As women are essential parts of a society. Provision of employment opportunities and income to rural women is one way to improve their nutrition, health, education and social status. The present study was conducted in Baran district of Rajasthan for assessing utilization of MGNREGA income by daily waged women worker. It was reported by majority of the respondents (93.6%) reported that participation in MGNREGA increased their family income. The average increase income of most of the respondents (43.20%) before and after joining programme was between in the range of Rs. 500-2500/-. The mean gain income was Rs. 1430.57/- which was significantly higher. MGNREGA has substantially improved the purchasing power leading to provision of quality food from hand to mouth. Economic participation helped the respondents in increasing their resources, food consumption, clothing and housing. It also helped them to reduce the debt.

Keywords

MGNREGA, Women Beneficiaries, Income.

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Priyanshu Tripathi ¹, Nikita Wadhawan ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Home Science, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan), IN
2 College of Dairy and Food Science Technology, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan), IN

Abstract

MGNREGA is an ambitious scheme providing employment to rural people of India. The basic aim of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is to enhance livelihood security of household in rural area. By this scheme Govt. gives assurance of employment to unskilled rural laborer for 100 days. With better implementation such type of scheme may be an effective weapon to fight against poverty. It also aims at transforming the rural areas by improving the socio-economic conditions of people. The present study was undertaken with the objective to assess the socio-economic status of MGNREGA women beneficiaries in Baran district of Rajasthan. Five villages namely Laxmipura, Chainpura, Ratanpura, Govindpura and Khedliganj from Atru Panchayat Samiti were identified for the study. Twenty five women beneficiaries from each village were selected making a total of 125 women beneficiaries. All respondents selected for the study were in the age group 30-45 years. Majority of the respondents (86.4%) were married and rest of them (13.6%) widow. Most of respondents who come for MGNREGA work belonged to schedule caste and schedule tribe (57.6%), backward caste (25.6%) and a small number were from general caste (2.4%). Maximum numbers of respondents (86.4%) were working as farm labour. Fifty eight per cent respondents were from nuclear family and rest of them (42.4%) belonged to joint family. Regarding education a high percentage respondents (91.2%) were illiterate and had no any organizational membership. Majority of respondents (72.8%) were landless, whereas 18.4 per cent had land upto 4.5 bighas. Most of them (53.6%) reside in Kachaha house. Calculation of socio-economic status (AICRP-HECM 1998) revealed that all respondents (100%) belonged to low socio-economic status.

Keywords

MGNREGA, Socio-Economic Status, Women Beneficiaries.

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