WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH - MGNREGA

Abstract

Empowerment is a process aimed at changing the nature and direction of systematic forces,which marginalize women and other disadvantaged sections in a given context.Gender is the inevitable push factor for growth and development of a nation like India. In India women constitute a major share of chronically poor population. A large segment of Indian womanhood still suffers deprivation and discriminatory attitudes.It is necessary to mobilize the vast women power,if the country has to progress in all sphere of development.Empowerment of women is a long and difficult process which is to be promoted with full public support and this could be successful only when those women living at the lower strata who have been suppressed by the male dominated society taking undue advantage of their lack of education and poverty can rise up to claim their rightful place in their own society.In spite of the draw backs in the implementation of the legislation, significant benefits have already started accruing to women through better access to local employment, at minimum wages,with relatively decent and safe work conditions.The Government has framed different programmes/schemes to uplift the women from poverty and vulnerability of life. One such women friendly programme is Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) which was enacted in 2005.MGNREGA plays a significant role to meet the practical as well as strategic needs of women's participation. It has become a beacon of light in the empowerment of the rural women and contributed substantially for the increased living and economic conditions by creating equal wages to male and female workers. The present paper discusses status of women's participation in MGNREGA in Telangana. This paper also presents challenges in the way of women participation in MGNREGA and suggestions for making MGNREGA more effective for women.