Do Location-Driven Perceptions Matter In Policy Governance? An Empirical Study Of MGNREGA Outcome In Assam

Abstract

India’s largest and most extensive government-funded right-based rural employment programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), has been instrumental in alleviating rural poverty. However, its outcomes vary across geographic and socio-economic contexts. This study examines whether location-driven factors influence the implementation and outcomes of MGNREGA policy across the Char (Riverine Island) and Plain areas of Assam using primary data of 450 households across four districts in Lower Brahmaputra Valley Zone of Assam. The study analyses socio-demographic profiles and perceptions of MGNREGA employing descriptive statistics and one-way MANOVA) and revealed significant location-based impacts on MGNREGA including education, caste composition and occupational patterns. The Char region unveiled higher illiteracy and greater work-related dependence on casual labour, whereas the Plain region confirmed more caste diversity and better educational accomplishment. MANOVA results indicate a statistically significant effect of location in three key domains. Char residents reported higher apparent benefits in lowering poverty, distress migration control and rural infrastructure development compared to their Plain correspondents. This is attributable to their heightened vulnerability and limited livelihood alternatives. In contrast, equal but significant location-based variation emerged in perceptions of corruption, wages and work conditions, women’s empowerment and reduced dependence on moneylenders. Although nearly half of all respondents reported paying bribes to access the benefits of the scheme. The study concludes that a uniform state-wide implementation approach may downplay the development process considering geographical heterogeneity in programme outcomes. The risks of a one-size-fits-all approach may disrupt the core livelihood benefits, especially for vulnerable geographies like the Chars which indicates the need of location-specific implementation strategies, enhancing literacy and awareness and integrating climate-resilient infrastructure development in Char areas for balanced growth.