The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act has not only unleashed a revolution in rural India, it has established India as a model of inclusive development worldwide. The World Bank Development Report 2014 hails the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA as a stellar example of rural empowerment. "India’s Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act illustrates how good governance and social mobilisation go hand-in-hand," reads the World Bank report. Elaborating on the main features of the Act, the report states, "this law...creates an entitlement of 100 days of unskilled employment per year, at minimum wage, to all workers in rural areas who demand it. The law also provides for social audits and redress of grievances". "Demand for work is massive, mostly from poor and disadvantaged groups, and at times of the year where no other work is available. Not only does the program offer a useful safety net, but it also helps spread awareness of rights and promotes dignity," states the report.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Oct 2013 16:30:53 +0000