The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) is a landmark social welfare Act of the Indian Parliament, enacted on August 25, 2005, to enhance livelihood security in rural areas. The original bill, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), was renamed on October 2, 2009, to include Mahatma Gandhi's name. The Act was implemented in February 2006 to address high rates of unemployment and poverty in rural India by providing a legal safety net.
The core mechanism is the legal guarantee of at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work. Key provisions include the mandate that employment must be provided within 15 days of application, or the applicant is entitled to an unemployment allowance. The Act also mandates that at least one-third of the beneficiaries must be women. Implementation is primarily the responsibility of Gram Panchayats, reinforcing the decentralization process initiated by the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution. The Act also mandates Social Audits under Section 17 to ensure transparency and accountability. The scheme is overseen by the Ministry of Rural Development.
The MGNREGA is currently set to be replaced by the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB–G RAM G). This new legislation proposes to entirely repeal the MGNREGA, 2005, and increase the guaranteed employment from 100 days to 125 days per rural household. The new Act aims to shift the focus from an entitlement-based safety net to a development mission aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.