Q. With reference to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), consider the following statements:
1.The primary objective of MGNREGS is rural infrastructure development.
2.Ministry of Rural Development is responsible for the policy formulation, overall planning, and monitoring of MGNREGS in India.
3.It empowers rural communities through participation.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation –
Statement 1 is incorrect. The primary objective of MGNREGS is to provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every registered household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work.
Statements 2 and 3 are correct. The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is responsible for the policy formulation, overall planning, and monitoring of MGNREGS in India. However, the implementation happens at the state and district levels through Gram Panchayats and other local bodies. MGNREGS empowers rural communities through: providing 100 days of guaranteed wage employment per financial year to rural households, increasing economic security, providing social protection for vulnerable people, enhancing the livelihood security of the rural poor, etc.
Source: Forum IAS
