Employment Guarantee and Consumption Pattern in Rural India

MGNREGA was legislated, in August, 2005, to tackle unemployment problem in rural India. It was initially named National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. It came into force in February, 2006 in selected 200 poorest districts. The legislation was renamed as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) on 2nd October 2009. It now covers the entire country. It guarantees 100 days of work to each rural household whose adult member is willing to do manual work at prevailing minimum wage rate. This primary data based study is divided into five chapters. Chapter 1 highlights the features of MGNREGA and the need to study its impact on consumption patterns of households in Kolasib Distrist of Mizoram. The chapter also incorporates the research methodology used in the study. Chapter 2 explains the functioning of MGNREGA in India as a whole. It explains the objectives and the implications of the Act. Chapter 3 covers the implementation of the Act in Kolasib District. The analyses and interpretation of the primary data collected is presented in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 incorporates the findings and conclusions of the study and suggestions to improve its functioning.