Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is a “rights-based, universal workfare programme”. This scheme is found unique, exclusive, and exemplary in developing countries by various researchers and policymakers. The study uses descriptive and tabular analysis for a thorough and comparative examination of the scheme. The study found MGNREGS more effective than other schemes of wage employment and livelihoods promotion. The study represents the contribution of the scheme in one and half decades to the rural livelihood and wellbeing of the country with the help of secondary data. The physical and financial performance of the scheme is described in the paper to have a comprehensive idea of the same. Similarly, regional level data is also mentioned in the study to find out the state-level performance. Under the flagship scheme, 15.1 crore job cards were issued till May 2021; out of which 9.13 crore job cards are active, and out of 29.21 registered workers, 14.06 workers are active. Since inception, 3493 crore person days have been created and cumulative expenditure for this is Rs.706372 crores. Out of the selected states, only six states, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and West Bengal performed well in the average person-days creation than the national average during the last four years. To reduce regional disparities and to thrive for its potential benefits, the study suggests some policy lessons viz; the reinvention of the scheme with more works providing greater scope for skill development and making the scheme more attractive through convergence planning with other rural development schemes, micro and macro-level interactions for better planning and to bring a progressive shift in the profile of rural labour force, to reduce regional disparities and bring intra-village equality, etc.

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Keywords: Employment Guarantee, Wellbeing, Regional, Effectiveness.