Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme and its impact on Agriculture in Kerala

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) is a landmark act passed by the government of India in 2005. It is the world’s largest employment guarantee programme. In Kerala, MNREGA was implemented in 2007-08 period. Introduction of MNREGA witnessed large turnout of women workers who were either unemployed or partially employed in agriculture operations. This may have defining impact on the agriculture operations in Kerala. Since the MNREGA rolled out mainly in rural economy, its impact upon agriculture would be critical. At the same time the socio-economic implications of MNREGA on agriculture and the rural labour market are to be explored in detail. The study was conducted in the Chengala grama Panchayath of Kasaragod District, choosen for its exemplary performance in the implementation and functioning of MNREGA and its geographical condition. Both primary and secondary data were used in the study and the sample consists of 200 MNREGA labourers of those who previously had worked under agriculture sector. In addition to MNREGA workers, the investigator selected 40 agricultural small scale farmers in the study area for the study in order to get their perception on the impact of MNREGA on agricultural sector. The study found that the implementation of MNREGA causes to reduce labour participation in agriculture sector by 60 Per cent in the study area. This labour shortage leads to increase in the wage rate as well as the cost of production in agriculture sector. Labour shortage in the agriculture sector due to the implementation of MNREGA induced the farmers to reduce their area of cultivation. The cropping area reduced from 64.5 acres to 52.5 acres after the implementation of MNREGA in the study area. MNREGA created shortage of skilled labourers in the agriculture sector. The preference of agricultural workers changed favorable to the non-agriculture sector works after the implementation of MNREGA. Farmers at large observed that removal of grass and small plants from the field as the part of MNREGA works leads to increase soil erosion and reduce the fertility of the soil. That in turn created the problem related to the productivity of agricultural sector.The study concludes that MNREGA helped the society in general and the backward people of rural area in particular to improve their economic status by providing 100 days of employment in a year. It made a significant change in the work culture of the rural people. This preference reflected in the shortage of labourers in the agriculture sector which in turn forced the farmers to reduce the area of cultivation. The remarkable influence of MNREGA can be seen in the wage rate in the rural area. It will cause a greater challenge to the food security question having deeper ramifications to the development pursuit of the country. A judicious time frame may chalk out in the provision of employment under MNREGA which would not affect the usual agricultural operation comes under the genuine agriculture calendar year. It is clearly evident that MNREGA helped to broaden the social space of the rural people especially women by providing opportunity for employment and financial inclusion

کلیدواژه ها:

MNREGA ، productivity ، social capital