NREGA AND RURAL WATER MANAGEMENT IN INDIA: Improving the Welfare Effects

摘要: NREGA is being eulogized by many in the academic, development and policy arena as a "silver bullet" for eradicating rural poverty unemployment, way of generating demand productive labour force villages private incentives management common property resources. The paper argues that nature water activities chosen under scheme callous which these are planned implemented different regions, without any consideration to their physical socio-economic realities regions concerned, creating several negative welfare effects. identifies three broad distinct regional typologies India deciding interventions proposes types works NREGS each typology, has potential generate demand, while producing 1. BACKGROUND Rural unemployment have grown an unprecedented manner during last few decades. There growing incidence youth shifting from agriculture into unproductive activities, compounding this problem. In order reverse trend provide livelihood security unemployed, Government (GOI) enacted National Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) 1 , 2005. act provides 100 days guaranteed employment every household financial year unskilled manual work. initially notified 200 districts, at present covers 619 districts (99% country) expected benefit some 5.5 crore poorest households 2009-10 (Sharma 2009). With budget allocation Rs. 11,300 2006-07 2 umbrella NREGA, probably largest rights-based social protection initiative world (Farrington et al. 2007). As per Schedule I Act, work Scheme (NREGS) will be essentially creation sustainable assets. builds on earlier experience with (EGS) Maharashtra (Sjoblom Farrington 2008). key component provision state prescribed wage those unable find alternative employment, form safety net unemployed people. Long term objectives includes; a) enhancement areas, b) assets, c) protecting environment, d) empowering women and, e) fostering equity. Apart affirming 'right work', also seeks ensure poor say decisions undertaken, so such contribute improvement livelihoods (McCord