Labour Productivity and Work Study in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act

Abstract

Labour productivity is of critical importance to the profitability, timely completion and performance of most construction projects since its labour intensive sector. Labours play very critical role in MGNREGA hence their productivity directly affects the progress of work carried. Productivity is generally defined as the ratio of output to input, output is measured in terms of production level or the quantity of work completed whereas input is usually measured in units of time ( labour hours or labour day),equipment’s, materials etc. Actual productivity is the productivity achieved in the field, whereas the level achievable under most ideal conditions, is optimal productivity. Work study is the process of studying the particular work or task in a systematic and organized way and is used for finding the correct method of doing the work, determining standard times. MGNREGA Act (2005) was aimed to curb the migration of labours towards city by providing them 100 days of guaranteed employment in nearby area of 5km range, security in their income and trying to upgrade their standard of living. Works done in MGNREGA scheme are plantations, houses for people BPL, soak pit, trenching, wells, farm ponds and cowshed. The objective of the study is to find the factors affecting labour productivity, conduct work study of the activities carried out in MGNREGA and to find whether MGNREGA has been successful in achieving its goals.