The National Rural Employment Generation Scheme (NREGS) is an employment scheme in India for providing 100 days guaranteed wage employment for all employment seekers above 18 years of age and willing to do work. The scheme came into force on 1995 in 199 districts in India and extended to another 130 districts later.

The initial years have laid a strong and competitive foundation as compared to other schemes with the same objectives. NREGS has suddenly increased the purchasing power of the poor and there is visible local economic development.^[1] Kudumbashree has been roped into the implementation of the programme in Kerala.^[2] A 2008 study conducted by Chathukulam and Gireesan, of Centre for Rural Management (CRM), indicated that major defects identified during previous wage employment programmes were absent in the NREGS in the State and provision of equal wages to men and women, non-involvement of contractors, minimal use of machinery, adherence to wage- material ratio. were followed, and the absence of muster roll manipulations was absent in the execution of the program in the initial two districts of Palakkad and Wayanad.^[3]