MGNREGA'S IMPACT ON INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT IN SEAWEEDS CULTIVATING HOUSEHOLDS: PAMBAN VILLAGE OF RAMANATHAPURAM DISTRICT

India has vast experience in implementing the rural employment generation programmes after independence. In 2006, India launched a flagship programme called MGNREGS further it was transferred into the MGNREGA. This programme aims to providing 100 days of employment to rural households, it made a lot of positive economic aspects of rural households based on this background this paper is examine the MGNREGA’S Impact on Income and Employment in Seaweeds cultivating Households in Pamban Village of Ramanthapuram District of Tamil Nadu. This study undertaken in 2019-2020, the primary data were collected from 100 households, the households were selected randomly. The best performing village from the block was selected and the analysis has used simple percentage and average methods to find the variations in the sample household’s data. Both quantitative and qualitative surveys have been conducted for this study. The study results show that the MGNREGA has created more employment days and the earnings of households have also increased. Majority of the respondents participated in the programme and particularly, a higher percentage of female respondents worked in this scheme. It is found that the average number of days of employment have increased after the introduction of MGNREGA. It is also clear that with the implementation of the MGNREGA scheme, the income has significantly increased to all the participating households, and the monthly expenditure has increased constantly. The impact on income resulted to increased savings, repayment of loans and ultimately reduction in indebtedness. Therefore, it is concluded that there is a positive impact on employment, wages and income generation after the implementation of MGNREGA. To be continuously successful, a sustained monitoring and social audit of the scheme is inevitable.