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The Relationship Between MGNREGA and Internal Labour Migration in Tamil Nadu, India

Author

Listed:
  • Warren Dodd

    (University of Guelph)

  • Sara Wyngaarden

    (University of Guelph)

  • Sally Humphries

    (University of Guelph)

  • Kirit Patel

    (Menno Simons College affiliated with the University of Winnipeg and Canadian Mennonite University)

  • Shannon Majowicz

    (University of Waterloo)

  • Matthew Little

    (University of Guelph)

  • Cate Dewey

    (University of Guelph)

Abstract

India’s constitution contains provisions for the ‘right to work’ and the ‘right to movement’ for all citizens. Established in 2005, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is broadly considered to operationalize this ‘right to work’. At the same time, a public discourse persists that views MGNREGA as a substitute for internal labour migration. Drawing on the results from 300 household surveys in three panchayats in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu, we test the validity of this discourse in this setting. We find that households that rely exclusively on MGNREGA have different demographic and socioeconomic characteristics compared to households that rely exclusively on remittances from internal labour migration. Furthermore, 20 per cent of households surveyed use both MGNREGA and internal labour migration as complementary livelihood strategies. We argue that there is a need for better understanding and recognition of the complementary potential of MGNREGA and internal labour migration.

Suggested Citation

  • Warren Dodd & Sara Wyngaarden & Sally Humphries & Kirit Patel & Shannon Majowicz & Matthew Little & Cate Dewey, 2018. "The Relationship Between MGNREGA and Internal Labour Migration in Tamil Nadu, India," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(2), pages 178-194, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:30:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1057_s41287-017-0122-3
    DOI: 10.1057/s41287-017-0122-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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