6. From EGS to MGNREGS in Maharashtra: Were the Programme Potentials Achieved?

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) implemented since 2006, is considered to be a landmark policy in India, in terms of its socio-economic implications in rural India. The aim of the scheme is to provide safety net to the rural poor and marginalised groups by generating employment and creating durable assets. The state of Maharashtra was the pioneer state to initiate employment guarantee scheme (EGS) for rural poor during the drought years of early 1970s. From 2006, both the schemes of EGS and MGNREGS are being implemented in Maharashtra state simultaneously. This has provided us an opportunity to compare performance of the two schemes on the ground. This chapter analyses employment generated and the assets created under traditional EGS and MGNREGS in Maharashtra. The EGS and MGNREGS have been successful in providing the employment in the state, however, durable and good quality assets have not been created by these schemes to have a dent on agricultural productivity. The extent of employment generated annually under MGNREGS in Maharashtra in the last few years was in fact less than that generated under EGS before 2005–06. There are several practical problems in the implementation of the scheme in Maharashtra. There is a need for locating new and appropriate types of works and innovative ways of implementing the scheme and need for providing timely technical help to the gram panchayats. It would be more desirable if the creation of employment under the schemes also leads to creation of durable assets and efficient management of water and other natural resources locally, thus, ultimately increasing the overall productivity of the agricultural sector as a whole.