https://doi.org/10.65770/QGRO7584
ABSTRACT
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is an important rural development programme aimed at providing wage employment, strengthening livelihood security, creating durable community assets, and promoting inclusive participation. The present study assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges (SWOC) associated with MGNREGA implementation in Agastyamuni Block of Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand. The study was conducted in 15 selected Gram Panchayats, and primary data were collected from 198 registered MGNREGA beneficiaries using a semi-structured interview schedule. Twenty-four variables six each under strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges were identified by the respondents. The Rank-Based Quotient (RBQ) method was used to determine the relative importance of each variables. The finding revealed that the creation of rural infrastructure and community assets was the major strength of MGNREGA, with an RBQ of 98.28, followed by enhanced livelihood security of beneficiaries (97.06) and women’s participation and empowerment (96.06). Delay in wage payment emerged as the most important weakness, recording an RBQ of 99.29, followed by lack of transparency in work allocation (98.89) and corruption by elected representatives and officials (98.85). The development of public infrastructure and community assets for improved rural connectivity was identified as the leading opportunity, with an RBQ of 95.35. Adverse climatic conditions and geographical constraints constituted the most serious challenge, recording an RBQ of 99.29, followed by the continued preference for migration in search of better employment opportunities (94.95). The study concludes that MGNREGA has considerable potential to strengthen rural livelihoods and promote inclusive development in the hill region; however, timely wage payment, transparent implementation, improved technical planning, effective social audits, and climate-responsive execution are necessary for improving its performance.
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