Resource information
As the 21st century unfolds, the vast
nation of India faces an array of challenges, including how
to feed its burgeoning population in a situation where rural
poverty is widespread and land resources are under mounting
pressure. In such a situation it is vital that the resources
supporting agriculture (especially rain-fed arable farming)
- soil and water, physical infrastructure, and those
employed on the land operate efficiently and in harmony. Two
huge programs are particularly important as India strives to
achieve that aim: the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and the Integrated
Watershed Management Program (IWMP). The aims of this report
are to: show how NREGA and IWMP operate within themselves
and in relation to each other, especially in the state of
Karnataka, which is the focus of this report; assess the
performance of NREGA in Karnataka through a poverty and
social impact analysis (PSIA); and analyze the benefits that
may arise (taking into account the results of the PSIA) from
a closer convergence of NREGA and IWMP in implementing
projects in rural areas. Greater convergence has the
potential to significantly increase the quality and scale of
rural projects in India, with considerable economic, social,
and poverty reduction benefits.
