Chakraborty, Banhi and Das, Sutapa
(2014)
MGNREGA And Water Management: Sustainability Issues Of Built
Forms In Rural India.
Journal of Construction in Developing Countries , 19 (2).
pp. 33-50.
ISSN 1823-6499
Abstract
Compared to urban sustainability, rural sustainability has traditionally received
inadequate attention, especially in developing countries such as India. Because of their
symbiotic relation with the local climate and landforms, vernacular structures of rural India
are said to be inherently sustainable. However, since 2005, substantial amounts of
intervention brought about by the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation
Act (MGNREGA) have changed this situation. India's rural landscape is now intersected with
numerous built forms, such as road networks, water management systems, and land
development. Unfortunately, the MGNREGA's goal of addressing the substantial void that
characterised rural areas and bringing about a sustainable future through the generation of
the multiplier effect have not been achieved in most cases. This study was conducted to
investigate the reasons for this unexpected outcome. Water management, constituting the
major thrust of the MGNREGA, was examined for two purposively selected areas with
distinctively different physio-climatological variations at the micro level from the state of West
Bengal. The data from the MGNREGA website and from field investigations show a short-term
benefit, whereas sustainability issues on a long-term basis remain a concern. Straightjacketed norms for scheme implementation ignoring physical heterogeneity across the
country appear to be a major cause. Reframing and customisation of construction
specifications are recommended as a solution.
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