MGNREGA and Poverty Eradication in Poverty Rich Rural India : Opportunities, Hurdles and Policy Suggestions

The Parliament of India passed a historic act in the 56th Year of republic India, which came closer to fulfil the constitutional directives and to usher in the new ray of light, hope in the rural India. The article 21 of Indian constitution speaks of right to life, which the Supreme Court has aptly interpreted ‘right to live refers to all those aspects which would make life meaningful, complete and living a dignified life’. The article 39A states that ‘the State shall direct its policy towards securing its citizens an adequate means of livelihood. Further the Article41 clearly makes the point ‘that the State shall make effective provisions for securing the right to work’. The articles 39 and 41 were under the directive principles of the state policy (A36-51) which were in the form on directions to the legislative while formulating the laws and policy. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, (NREGA) was notified on 7 September 2005. The NREGA is the biggest, noblest and holistic poverty eradication scheme in India since political Independence. Since 2nd October 2009 the NREGS has been renamed as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The gazette notification of government of India on 7th September points out the major objective of NREGA as ‘act to provide for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to the every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work and for matter connected there with or incidental thereto