Empowerment of Beneficiaries under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA ) in Haryana: A Factor Analysis Approach

Abstract

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which is a flagship government initiative, attempts to increase the livelihood security in rural regions since it ensures 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to all rural households that have their adult members volunteer to perform unskilled manual labour (Mishra, 2024). This project will target the fight against poverty in rural areas through alleviating economic status and demand for goods and services necessary for the growth of the nation. The government hails the statute as “the largest and most ambitious social security and public works program in the world”.  Word Bank, in its World Development Report 2014, termed it a “Stellar example of Rural Development.” This is a holistic program that also aims at promoting social inclusion and empowerment of marginalised communities, especially women, through giving them the chance of having independent sources of income and also increased access to community development. MGNREGA is a significant source of household income and spending, as well as enhancing the socio-economic decision-making power of rural female residents (who live in traditionally patriarchal communities (Mishra, 2024). Due to the complex goals and a large scope of MGNREGA program, it is crucial to conduct a detailed analysis of the effects this program produces on beneficiaries, specifically in Haryana. In this research, the researcher uses factor analysis to provide a systematic evaluation of the socio-economic effects of MGNREGA on the beneficiaries in the state of Haryana, which has its distinct agricultural and socio-cultural dynamics (Muthumari, 2024). The current study will add to the extant information by bringing an in-depth insight as to how interventions of MGNREGA can be translated into practical alterations in the lives of rural households in Haryana, with respect to ascertaining the factors that can either favour or hinder the same.  An attempt has also been made to analyse factors affecting the socio-economic and political empowerment of beneficiaries under the