Exploring The Relationship between Agricultural Productionand The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS): Evidence from Aspirational States of India

  • Authors

    • Tahawwar Husain Department of Economics, Aligarh Muslim University, India
    • Aneesur Rahman Department of Economics, Aligarh Muslim University, India
    • Nadeem Alam Department of Political Science, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
    • Haris Noor Department of West Asian & North African Studies, Aligarh Muslim University, India
    • S.M. Jawed Akhtar Department of Economics, Aligarh Muslim University, India
    • Mohammad Imdadul ‎ Haque Department of West Asian & North African Studies, Aligarh Muslim University, India
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ex5z2827

    Received date: July 6, 2025

    Accepted date: August 4, 2025

    Published date: August 20, 2025

  • MGNREGS; Infrastructure Creation; Agricultural Production; Rural Development

  • Abstract

    Growth in the comparatively backward states of India, namely Uttar Pradesh, Madhya ‎Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar, is essential for the balanced development of the country. ‎Assessing and improving agricultural production is also an important element of ‎economic growth in these states. This study analyses the cropping intensity and gross ‎irrigated area in these states. Furthermore, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment ‎Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is a flagship programme that provides employment and ‎creates the infrastructure in rural India that directly or indirectly boosts the country's rural ‎economy. This study attempts to associate the activities under MGNREGS, like drought-proofing, micro-irrigation work, and land development, with agricultural production. Towards ‎this, the study applies panel data methods on the data for the period 2014-15 to 2020-21. The study finds that land development activities under MGNREGS significantly impact ‎agricultural output, while other activities, namely drought-proofing and micro-irrigation ‎works, have no significant impact on agricultural yield. The study also reports a ‎contentious finding of a negative impact of cropping intensity on agricultural output. ‎Finally, the study advocates diversifying activities under MGNREGS to promote ‎cropping intensity, which positively contributes to the agricultural output‎.

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    Husain, T. ., Rahman , A. ., Alam , N. ., Noor , H. ., Akhtar , S. J. ., & Haque , M. I. ‎. (2025). Exploring The Relationship between Agricultural Productionand The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS): Evidence from Aspirational States of India. International Journal of Accounting and Economics Studies, 12(4), 526-533. https://doi.org/10.14419/ex5z2827