Geographical analysis

Abstract

MGNREGA, also known as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, is a progressive social welfare program introduced by the Central Government of India. It represents a transformative effort to address poverty and unemployment by providing paid employment opportunities in rural areas. This study analyzes the performance of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme across different districts of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, using secondary data from the official MGNREGA website. Key performance indicators include number of households provided employment, average days of employment per household, work completion rate, women participation rate, and employment of SC/ST households. The findings reveal significant inter-district variations, with districts like Doda, Poonch and Anantnag emerging as high performers due to their large rural populations and more effective scheme implementation. These variations highlight the need for targeted interventions to ensure equitable development across all districts.

Keywords: MGNREGA, Inter­district variations, Women participation rate, Average days of employment