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Discouraged worker effect in public works programs: Evidence from the MGNREGA in India

Author

Listed:
  • Sudha Narayanan

    (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research)

  • Upasak Das

    (Centre for Development Studies)

  • Yanyan Liu

    (International Food Policy Research Institute)

  • Christopher B. Barrett

    (Cornell University)

Abstract

This study investigates the consequences of poor implementation in public workfare programs, focusing on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in India. Using nationally representative data, we test empirically for a discouraged worker effect arising from either of two mechanisms: administrative rationing of jobs among those who seek work and delays in wage payments. We find strong evidence at the household and district levels that administrative rationing discourages subsequent demand for work. Delayed wage payments seem to matter significantly during rainfall shocks. We find further that rationing is strongly associated with indicators of implementation ability such as staff capacity. Politics appears to play only a limited role. The findings suggest that assessments of the relevance of public programs over their lifecycle need to factor in implementation quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Sudha Narayanan & Upasak Das & Yanyan Liu & Christopher B. Barrett, 2016. "Discouraged worker effect in public works programs: Evidence from the MGNREGA in India," Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Working Papers 2016-027, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, India.
    • Handle: RePEc:ind:igiwpp:2016-027
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    Cited by:

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    3. Cerciello, Massimiliano & Agovino, Massimiliano & Garofalo, Antonio, 2019. "The caring hand that cripples? The effects of the European regional policy on local labour market participation in Southern Italy," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    4. Narayanan, Sudha, 2021. "Food security from free collection of foods: Evidence from India," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    5. Agovino Massimiliano & Garofalo Antonio & Cerciello Massimiliano, 2019. "Do Local Institutions Affect Labour Market Participation? The Italian Case," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 1-21, April.
    6. Jain Ritika, 2021. "Information and Communication Technology Adoption and the Demand for Female Labor: The Case of Indian Industry," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 21(2), pages 695-722, April.
    7. A. Amarender Reddy & Namrata Singha Roy & Divya Pradeep, 2021. "Has India’s Employment Guarantee Program Achieved Intended Targets?," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, October.
    8. Chau, Nancy H. & Liu, Yanyan & Soundararajan, Vidhya, 2017. "Political activism as a determinant of clientelistic transfers: Evidence from an Indian public works program:," IFPRI discussion papers 1700, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    9. Ranjana Roy & Prerna Terway, 2024. "Rising Wage Income and the Role of MGNREGA among Agricultural Households in India: Evidence from the Situation Assessment Survey, 2018–19," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 67(3), pages 865-881, September.
    10. Emilio Congregado & Ewa Galecka-Burdziak & Antonio A. Golpe & Robert Pater, 2021. "Separating aggregate discouraged and added worker effects: the case of a former transition country," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 12(3), pages 729-760, September.
    11. Deininger, Klaus & Liu, Yanyan, 2019. "Heterogeneous welfare impacts of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme: Evidence from Andhra Pradesh, India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 98-111.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    administrative rationing; discouraged worker effect; employment guarantee; India; labor supply; MGNREGA; workfare programs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J08 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics Policies
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy

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