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American Journal of Rural Development
ISSN (Print): 2333-4762 ISSN (Online): 2333-4770 Website: https://www.sciepub.com/journal/ajrd Editor-in-chief: Chi-Ming Lai
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American Journal of Rural Development. 2025, 13(1), 23-34
DOI: 10.12691/ajrd-13-1-3
Open AccessArticle

Mapping Geospatial Disparities in MGNREGA Implementation and Outcomes: A Study of Nashik District, Maharashtra

Bhagwan K. Bairagi1, and Dnyaneshwar N. Pawar2

1Research Scholar, Department of Geography, M.V.P. Samaj’s KRT Arts, B.H. Commerce and A.M. Science College (K.T.H.M.) College, Nashik, Affiliated with Savitribai Phule Pune University

2Head and Associate Professor of Geography, Department of Geography, M.V.P. Samaj’s KRT Arts, B.H. Commerce and A.M. Science College (K.T.H.M.) College, Nashik. Affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University

Pub. Date: October 12, 2025
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Cite this paper:
Bhagwan K. Bairagi and Dnyaneshwar N. Pawar. Mapping Geospatial Disparities in MGNREGA Implementation and Outcomes: A Study of Nashik District, Maharashtra. American Journal of Rural Development. 2025; 13(1):23-34. doi: 10.12691/ajrd-13-1-3

Abstract

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a law in India that helps rural areas to grow. It works, however, and performs different functions at different times. Prior research has shown differences between states and their effectson people’s lives. However, there are not many studies on detailed, tehsil-level geospatial analysis that find local performance gaps and help policymakers decide where to focus their efforts. This study addresses this shortcoming by elucidating the disparities in MGNREGA implementation across the 15 tehsils of Nashik District, Maharashtra, from 2014 to 2025. This study utilizes a composite MGNREGA Performance Index (MPI) based on official job creation, social inclusion, and task fulfilment statistics, highlighting significant regional discrepancies. The results suggest that tribal tehsils, such as Surgana (MPI: 0.67) and Peint (MPI: 0.59), are doing quite well. They recruit many people, many of whom are women. They also accept people from the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. Dindori (MPI: 0.49) and Kalwan (MPI: 0.47) are two tehsils that perform well. Chandwad (MPI: 0.27) and Nashik (MPI: 0.29) tehsils have a poor MPI. Deola and Nandgaon have the lowest performance notice (MPI: 0.18) because they do not finish their work very often, do not have many women involved, and do not do a good job of reaching out to individuals on the edges. The study shows that MGNREGA works best in areas where people live, manage things well, and are involved in their communities. The results reveal that the program must adjust its rules for each tehsil and enhance its run to ensure that it is fair and functions well.

Keywords:
MGNREGA Job Card Employment Geospatial Mapping Composite Index

Creative CommonsThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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