Evaluation of Financial and Physical Progress of NREGA in Madhya Pradesh during 2013-14 to 2018-19

The paper examines the financial and physical progress of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in MP (Madhya Pradesh) from 2013-14 to 2018-19. Study is using two ways of examination, (i) to understand financial situation of the state using MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) MIS data, (ii) to understand physical situation of the state using MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) MIS data. In the state, the wage rate which was provided under the NREGA programme was less than the minimum wage rate decided by Ministry of Labour and Employment Office. During six years of the study period percentage of employment demanded to job card holders increased by 7.49 percent per anum. The trend is showing that villagers are being more interested and showing their desire to work in NREGA, spike in demand is seen an indicator of rural distress, demand for jobs under the NREGA grew due to joblessness, but NREGA could not provided jobs according to increased demand. Percentage of employment provided to employment demanded should have been increased but showing a reverse trend. Only 45 person days employment was provided to the households which are not even half of the 100 days of guaranteed work. There are only 4.3 percent families per anum those have completed 100 days of employment, and this percentage is reducing continuously and reached at just two percent in 2018-19. NREGA is still far from its basic objective of providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household.