MGNREGS In Rayagada District of Odisha: An Analytical Study of Its Socio-Economic Effects on The Tribal and Rural Communities

In 2005, the Government of India launched the MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) to address chronic issues such as inequalities, unemployment, poverty, and immigration for livelihoods. It provides livelihood security of households in ‎rural areas by providing 100 days of paid work annually to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), women, and other economically disadvantaged groups. Its two primary objectives are to ensure livelihood security and to create durable assets in villages. It has increased ‎rural populations’ per capita income and expenditure, and improved their overall socio-economic conditions. It has been acting as the best program for ‎the Viksit Bharat. ‎ Rayagada district in Odisha, India, predominantly inhabited by tribal communities, has significantly benefited from this scheme. It offers ‎valuable opportunities to address the socio-economic challenges faced by the district's people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it acted as a ‎safety net for returning migrant workers. Today, the scheme covers the majority of districts, blocks, and panchayats in India and Odisha; it ‎extends to all 30 districts and all Gram Panchayats. MGNREGS continues to play a vital role in addressing chronic economic issues such as ‎inequality, unemployment, and poverty by creating rural job opportunities. ‎ This paper highlights the importance of MGNREGS in Rayagada district, Odisha, and examines how it has been successfully implemented ‎to achieve its objectives. Findings highlight how MGNREGS not only provides a job guarantee but also strengthens access to formal financial services, thereby improving the socio-economic resilience of rural communities and creating assets for rural people‎.