MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) is a scheme launched by the Indian government in 2005 to provide guaranteed employment to the rural population. It serves as a safety net and has had a positive impact on distress migration.

• MGNREGA provides employment opportunities to rural people close to their homes, thus reducing the need for them to migrate to cities/other regions for work.
• MGNREGA has helped in preventing rural poverty and reducing distress migration due to its focus on providing work to households experiencing food insecurity.
• According to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, MGNREGA has played an instrumental role in reducing distress migration in rural India by providing employment opportunities to rural people.
• Jairam Ramesh believes that MGNREGA can also contribute to rural development as the wages earned through MGNREGA are being used for various developmental activities such as building roads, digging wells and ponds, etc.

Overall, MGNREGA has been successful in reducing distress migration by providing employment opportunities to rural people close to their homes. It has also contributed to various development activities in rural India.