A discussion on the continuing importance of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the condition of landless labourers in rural India. The speaker argues that as long as agriculture exists, there will always be landless rural workers who depend on seasonal employment and daily wages for survival. Reducing employment days and weakening rural support systems can deepen economic distress in villages. The video reflects on why India must continue to provide adequate rural employment opportunities, fair wages, and social protection for vulnerable rural families. It also examines how employment guarantee programmes can help reduce rural distress and strengthen village economies when implemented properly.
About the Speaker:
The speaker studied Economics at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, and later studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at University of Oxford.
He also served as a Member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1968 to 1974.