A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF RURAL WAGE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMMES IN INDIA

The problem of rising unemployment and existence of mass poverty are still one of the biggest challenges especially before the underdeveloped and developing economies like India. Unemployment and poverty are two sides of the same coin. Unemployment is non-availability of jobs, despite the willingness and eligibility of a person. Unemployment is a multidimensional concept. It has various consequences such as poverty, low income and standard of living, denial of opportunities, frustration, and no dignity and self-respect in the society. The objective of economic planning in India has been to generate more and more employment opportunities, to alleviate poverty and to ensure at least minimum standard of living to the countrymen. The Government of India and also state governments have launched and implemented various programmes during the planning period for achieving the objective of employment generation and poverty eradication. Despite the implementation of these programmes, the problem of increasing and widespread unemployment and existence of vicious circle of poverty continue to persist in all most all the parts in the country. Hence, most of the employment generation and poverty alleviation programmes have been strengthened, redesigned and restructured through special programmes in order to provide more benefits for the poor, and hitherto neglected and weaker sections of the society.