Does India's Employment Guarantee Scheme Quarantee Employment?

Dutta, Puja ; Murgai, Rinku ; Ravallion, Martin ; van de Walle, Dominique

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: AGGREGATE DEMAND;    AGRICULTURAL LABORERS;    ANTI-POVERTY;    ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAM;    ANTIPOVERTY PROGRAM;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-6003
RP-ID  :  WPS6003

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

In 2005 India introduced an ambitiousnational anti-poverty program, now called the Mahatma GandhiNational Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The programoffers up to 100 days of unskilled manual labor per year onpublic works projects for any rural household member whowants such work at the stipulated minimum wage rate. The aimis to dramatically reduce poverty by providing extraearnings for poor families, as well as empowerment andinsurance. If the program worked in practice the way it isdesigned, then anyone who wanted work on the scheme wouldget it. However, analysis of data from India's NationalSample Survey for 2009/10 reveals considerable un-met demandfor work in all states. The authors confirm expectationsthat poorer families tend to have more demand for work onthe scheme, and that (despite the un-met demand) theself-targeting mechanism allows it to reach relatively poorfamilies and backward castes. The extent of the un-metdemand is greater in the poorest states -- ironically wherethe scheme is needed most. Labor-market responses to thescheme are likely to be weak. The scheme is attracting poorwomen into the workforce, although the local-level rationingprocesses favor men.