Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act Contribution to Sustainable Development
A Case Study of Rangaon Gram Panchayat, Uttarakhand
Keywords:
MGNREGA, NDVI, VCI, GIS, RS, RangaunAbstract
Natural Resource Management (NRM) activities are vital to watershed management in various Indian government schemes, including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (MGNREGA), PMKSY-WDC, and IWMP. Launched in 2006, India's Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a public welfare initiative aimed at poverty alleviation through a multi-faceted approach. Recognized as a fundamental scheme for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this study evaluates the impact and outcomes of MGNREGA projects in relation to the SDGs in Rangaon Gram Panchayat, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. A total of 232 geotags belonging to various categories of activities and administrative boundaries pertaining to gram panchayat and state were taken from Bhuvan GeoMGNREGA portal. Remote Sensing data from LISS-IV and Sentinel-2A sensor for the years 2017-18 & 2023-24 were used to calculate vegetation indices like Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Vegetation Condition Index (VCI). These indices indicate better vegetation health, more productive and sustainable agricultural practices in the study area. Through community interaction, socio-economic survey covering both quantitative and qualitative data collection was carried out on a 5 point Likert scale to measure impacts and beneficiary satisfaction. The survey reflects the positive impacts of the scheme through increased employment, infrastructure development, and enhanced access to education and healthcare and high participation of women, reflecting towards gender equality.
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