“Resilient Societies – what does it take to make countries and societies more resilient’’ An elderly woman at the MGNREGA worksite. Climate change worst affects the rural poor, who often do not have adequate mechanisms to cope. MGNREGA provides guaranteed employment of 100 days to every rural Indian household who demands for work, thus providing a social protection to 250 million people (21.53% of India’s population). Experiences from the world‘s largest rural employment programme: MGNREGA, India FATA 2018

MGNREGA is the largest poverty reduction programme in India with an annual budget of EUR 7 billion, providing guaranteed annual employment of 100 days to any rural Indian household who demands for it. Thus, provides every single household in the country the opportunity to cope with, to adapt to and to recover from shocks as well as chronic poverty. Currently, 250 million people are registered (30% of India’s rural population) – 70 million people worked last year.

MGNREGA-EB supports MGNREGA in meeting their environmental challenges, focussing on NRM related assets, and enhancing the livelihoods of the rural poor.

Cross-sectoral approach always needs convergence of schemes, programmes, people to attain the one goal, which is challenging yet achievable. - Village level meetings and convergence at the local level leads to successful demonstrations and learnings for national level scale-up.

Of the 260 works, 181 are NRM related and 81 are exclusively related to water.

Thank you For any further information, please contact: Rajeev Ahal Director, Natural Resource Management, GIZ India Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH A2/18, Second Floor, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi, 110029, India   T: +91 11 4949 5353 (ext. 3211) M: +91 9820292626 E: rajeev.ahal@giz.de I: www.giz.de/india