Is MGNREGA a myth for Arunachal Pradesh? field evidence

A study on the impact of MGNREGA in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh was conducted during October, 2014 to March, 2015. The focus was on assessment of the performance of the scheme in terms of job creation, efficiency in creation of durable social assets vis-a-vis work completion rate; efficiency in fund utilization to examine as to which extent this massive flagship programme could attain its promised deliverables during the periods in between 2008-09 to 2013-14. Though an impressive quantum of 240.21 lakh person days could be generated in the state and 10.26 lakh job cards were distributed during the entire span of study period. The work completion rate in the state was found to be very low i.e. 8.05% as large volume of funds remained being unspent. So the implementing authority in the state, perhaps, cannot avoid the blame for its apathy and non-responsiveness towards its poor people. The revelations made through the study had altogether put a serious question mark on the performance of MGNREGA in the state of Arunachal Pradesh as it grossly failed to guarantee 100 days jobs to the poor people as per promise.