New Delhi, Aug. 7 -- August 2025 marks two decades of the landmark Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). It was first started in 200 backward districts and expanded to the rest of rural India later.

In terms of reach among rural households, it is the second-largest mass-benefit scheme after the National Food Security Act. Both these legislations enacted under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government created a rights-based framework for social protection.

The last two decades have seen multiple changes in the way MGNREGA has been implemented, but it remains our most important social safety net in rural India.

It was not the first attempt by India's government to provide employment to millions of poor ...