Afforestation bustle through MGNREGA: A pace towards the sustainable approach

Abstract

India is one of the most populous countries having only 19.5 per cent forest cover which needs to be improved up to 33 per cent for ensuring environmental stability. Rejuvenation, conservation and maintenance of the natural resources are the prior essentialities of coming India. To overcome such emerging issues, Ministry of Environment and Forests adapted a Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guaranty Scheme (MREGS) since, 2005. Gradually this programme enhances livelihood security of rural poor by creating durable assets. This article tries to over view plantation activities and its impact on rural livelihood. In accordance with the prior recommendations of NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), afforestation and various tree plantation activities were amended into schedule-I. It would become helpful to generate awareness towards greening India campaign. Also, strengthens the long term challenges regarding eco-restoration and regeneration of natural resources.

Contribution of National Rural Employment Guarantee Program on Rejuvenation and Restoration of Community Forests in India

“…Indeed, there are limited empirical evidences pointing that PWPs' such as MGNREGS can generate medium to long-term sustainable extra employment, improve nutrition, afforestation, education outcomes, social, and political stability or asset accumulation (Lieuw- Kie-Song et al, 2011;Dhakane and Mandan, 2014;Blattman and Annan, 2016;Mvukiyehe, 2018;Agrawal, 2019). Also, evidences are lesser as regards the benefits of public infrastructure (community assets) produced by PWPs or of skills developed "through training or on-the-job practice" (Gehrke and Hartwig, 2018).…”

“…This is because, the scheme itself is not a permanent occupation for poor households, but creation of durable assets could uplift rural economies to levels of prosperity and thrust out the need for minimum-wage employment under MGNREGS (Bhattarai and Viswanathan, 2018). Forest restoration and rejuvenation is one of the objectives of MGRENGA that is nested under land development works (Tiwari et al, 2011;Ministry of Rural Development, 2012;Esteves et al, 2013;Dhakane and Mandan, 2014). As per the guidelines enshrined in the MGNREGA, the following works were allowed in drought proofing category (Dhakane and Mandan, 2014).…”

“…Forest restoration and rejuvenation is one of the objectives of MGRENGA that is nested under land development works (Tiwari et al, 2011;Ministry of Rural Development, 2012;Esteves et al, 2013;Dhakane and Mandan, 2014). As per the guidelines enshrined in the MGNREGA, the following works were allowed in drought proofing category (Dhakane and Mandan, 2014). Thus, these activities can be broadly divided into afforestation, reforestation, terracing, agroforestry systems and horticulture development activities.…”

“…The "Green Ambaji" project in Banaskantha district of Gujarat covering about sixty hectares of land under the green coverage employed MGNREGS women workers from poor families (Dhakane and Mandan, 2014), which has been instrumental in the restoration of plantation in degraded forestlands and increasing forestry in the district. Due to increased water availability, 60 hectares of forest land was created (TSIRD, 2013).…”

“…Another project under MGNREGS in conjunction with the Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) raises a nursery of multipurpose tree species at Navaras in Banaskantha district which are then transplanted. This plantation initiative led to the creation of 200 hectares of land under forest cover (TSIRD, 2013;Dhakane and Mandan, 2014), exemplifying the potential role of MGNREGS in restoration of forests and other ecosystems in India.…”