Question

How many days of wage employment is guaranteed in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act?

• A. At least 50 Days
• B. At least 100 Days
• C. At least 125 Days
• D. At least 150 Days

Hint:

MGNREGA is a demand-driven scheme, meaning the government is legally obligated to provide work when asked, unlike typical allocation-based schemes.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), enacted in 2005, is one of the world's largest work-guarantee programs.
It creates a legal right to work for rural households to ensure livelihood security.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The Act mandates that the government must provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every rural household.
This employment is provided to adult members who are willing to perform unskilled manual work.
A key feature of this act is that if an applicant is not provided work within 15 days of demand, they are legally entitled to an unemployment allowance paid by the state.
While some states or specific disaster-hit areas might increase this limit to 150 days under special executive orders, the statutory minimum guarantee remains 100 days.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The statutory guarantee provided by the Act is at least 100 days.