A lot has changed in Indian social and economic planning since the introduction of the grand rural employment guarantee scheme, now known as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (MGNREGA). The act has been implemented, suffered setbacks, established land-marks, drawn criticism, and collected accolades in all these years. But most significantly it has profoundly changed the character of the Indian women at large. Whether these changes are good for Indian democracy is a matter of debate, the sides in which are determined by the position on democracy and development taken by the participant.
In this book, we seek to present different aspects of the Act, scheme and its implemen-tation so as to give the readers a common insight how successful this scheme has been and what needs to be done.
This book would be useful for those who are interested in an informed and passionate debate about social policy in India and in the constitutional vision of bringing dignity to all fellow citizens.

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Contents

Author’s Note —Pgs. 7

Acknowledgements —Pgs. 9

Abbreviations Used in the Book —Pgs. 11

Introduction —Pgs. 15

1. Empowering the Marginalised —Pgs. 25

2. Engendering Social Empowerment —Pgs. 34

3. Modernity and Women Under the MGNREGA  —Pgs. 43

4. Creating Wealth and Adding Assets —Pgs. 67

5. Labour, Migration and Agriculture  —Pgs. 78

6. Environment and Sustainable Development —Pgs. 91

7. Implementation and Governance —Pgs. 99

Appendix – A: The Assertions Tested During  the Survey of Hazaribagh District —Pgs. 140

Reference —Pgs. 148

Endnotes —Pgs. 150

Annita Ranjan is a trained psychologist and topper from University of Delhi. She has completed her Ph.D. on ‘Impact of MGNREGA on overall modernity of Rural Women’. She has been involved in research and rural field work in sectors of education, rural development activism, women empowerment, human rights and water issues for last ten years. She also worked for the rights of under-privileged children, college and school students, disadvantaged groups, women Self help groups and for children in need of care and protection staying in the Remand/Observation home in Dumka, East Singhbhum Deoghar, Pakur, Ranchi, Garhwa and Hazaribagh districts of Jharkhand.
Her research paper was widely appreciated when she presented on ‘Participatory Governance’ in an International workshop organised by FSLGA (Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities), Colombo, Sri Lanka. She was earlier selected to represent India in USA under Group Study Exchange Programme. 
She is also trained in Human Rights from Indian Institute of Human Rights, New Delhi. She stays with her family in Ranchi, Jharkhand.