Constraints experienced by women work force in MNREGA in Punjab and Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), is the flagship programme of the Government that directly touches lives of the poor and promote inclusive growth. A Comparative study of constraints perceived by the respondents in taking advantage of MNREGA was conducted in Punjab and Rajasthan. The constraints were categorized into six categories namely mate and registration, work, wages, job card, facilities, social constraints. A total of 120 rural women were interviewed by using stratified sampling with equal sample allocation of the beneficiary. Constraints like illiteracy, feel difficulty in filling form and complex procedure of registration, MNREGA work is more laborious and hard for women, wage rate are very low, unnecessary delay in wage payment, more job card and less employment, elite group within workers capture most of job card, and lack of child care facility were the major constraints which were perceived by the respondents in both the states.