Weaker Sections and Employment Guarantee Scheme in India

The majority of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes have either no or less access to productive assets and they are mainly dependent upon their caste based occupation as well as working as agricultural, non-agricultural and casual workers. MGNREGS have emerged as one of the most powerful tools of generating gainful employment opportunities. Besides economic empowerment, MGNREGS has helped rural poor in increasing their awareness, social mobility, political participation and self-confidence and self-esteem which has increased their ability to express their views and demands as well as their participation in MGNREGS. Further, MGNREGS has increased the purchasing power parity and bargaining power of the weaker sections.