Mgnrega and Sustainable Development: A Synergistic Approach To Poverty Alleviation

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a revolutionary move to terminate poverty and unemployment in rural areas. The implementation of the scheme is successful in terms of large-scale employment, women empowerment, asset creation, watershed development, prevention of draught and reduction in large scale migration. The present investigation is a modest attempt to investigate into the potential of MGNREGS in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using the available secondary data sources. The NITI Aayog entrusts the Ministry of Rural Development as the nodal agency for implementing SDG 1 and mentions MGNREGA as a ‘core of the core’ scheme integral to achieve the goal, since the MGNREGA features as a flagship scheme for ensuring social protection in rural India. The study is initiated with the hypothesis that there are many other potential links of MGNREGS of its contribution in achieving SDGs, given its unique design of creating employment opportunities, and creating infrastructure and economic utilities for better livelihoods.