POVERTY ALLEVIATION POLICIES: Implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in Karnataka.

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005 is a major development in the history of poverty reduction strategies and rural development policies in India. The NREG scheme is a necessary step for the alleviation of rural poverty. Poverty reduction has been an important goal of development policy since the inception of planning in India. Various anti-poverty, employment generation and basic services programmes have been in operation for decades in India. The NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) attach a great importance to removal of poverty, and addressing specifically the wide variations across states and the rural urban divide. Though the successful passage of the Act is due to the long struggle by NGOs, academics, and some policymakers, its successful implementation is a much bigger challenge. Effective implementation of the Act requires that labor-intensive works be planned for the needy poor on a continuous basis; that the right kind of assets are undertaken to promote the development of the local/regional economy; and that the labor-absorbing capacity of the mainstream economy be raised and assets maintained well and used productively to generate benefits for the poor, as well as to promote pro-poor economy growth. Anti- poverty strategy has three broad components: promotion of economic growth; promotion of human development; and targeted programmes of poverty alleviation to address multi-dimensional nature of poverty. The various programmes targeted at the poor have been streamlined and strengthened in recent years, including through the NREGS. The present paper will discuss the Anti-poverty, employment generation and basic services programmes and NREG programme particularly with physical performance indicating Assets created under NREGA particularly with reference to Karnataka State which went in a phased manner. Thus, the paper concludes, with an overview of the national framework of poverty alleviation strategy, policy prescriptions and more effective anti poverty strategies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]