Correct Answer: Employment opportunities in rural areas

Solution : The correct answer is (b) Employment opportunities in rural areas.

The primary objective of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is to provide employment opportunities in rural areas.

MGNREGA is a social welfare program introduced by the Government of India in 2005. Its main aim is to guarantee the right to work by providing at least 100 days of wage employment per year to every rural household whose adult members are willing to do unskilled manual work. The act seeks to enhance livelihood security, reduce rural poverty, and promote sustainable development in rural areas.

Under MGNREGA, rural households can participate in various public works projects, such as construction of roads, water conservation, land development, and rural infrastructure development. The act ensures that work is demand-driven, with job opportunities created based on the requests received from households. The wages provided under MGNREGA are linked to the minimum wage rates specified by the respective state governments.