The Impact of MGNREGA on Household Nutritional Security – An Economic Analysis in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Mahathma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is one of the major rural development programmes, which is being implemented in our country since 2006. It has been providing the steady income to the rural households, especially marginal, small famers and agricultural labour, especially during the lean season in agriculture. This paper has attempted to find out the household income, consumption expenditure on food and non-food items and calorie acquisition of the participants and non-participants of NREGS in Tamil Nadu. Further, it has measured the household nutritional security of the rural households and the results revealed that NREGS participants covered more than 85 per cent of the requirement of the average recommended calories per capita per day than NREGS non-participants (76 per cent). Hence, the NREGS participants consumed more calories due to relatively higher purchasing power. This development is due to availability of guaranteed employment and regular wages through NREGS to the rural households.