Question

How many days of work is guaranteed to rural households under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)?

• A. 200 days work per year to all rural households
• B. 100 days work per year to all rural households
• C. 300 days work per year to all rural households
• D. 125 days work per year to all rural households

Hint:

While the statutory minimum is 100 days, the Central Government sometimes increases this limit to 150 days in areas affected by natural calamities (like drought) through special notifications. However, for general exam purposes, the answer is always 100 days.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a social security measure that aims to guarantee the 'right to work' in rural India.
Enacted in 2005, it is one of the largest work guarantee programs in the world.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
MGNREGA provides a legal guarantee for at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
Key features include:
1. It is a demand-driven scheme; the government is obligated to provide work within 15 days of a person applying.
2. If work is not provided within the stipulated 15 days, the state must pay an unemployment allowance.
3. At least one-third of the beneficiaries must be women.
4. The work provided focuses on the creation of durable assets such as ponds, wells, and roads to improve rural infrastructure.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The Act guarantees at least 100 days of work per year to rural households.