Answer

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), also known as MGNREGS is an Indian legislation enacted in 2005.It provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage.

MGNREGA scheme has been able to address the issue of rural distress in India as :

• Infrastructure: MGNREGA has helped to improve the infrastructure and natural resource base of the rural poor, which has had a positive impact on the environment. The program has also helped to improve the accessibility of basic services in rural areas, such as water, sanitation, and housing.
• Compensating income loss: As per a study conducted by Azim Premji University across four states (Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh), MGNREGA helped in compensating 20-80% of the income loss incurred because of the Covid-19 induced lockdown.
• Preventing migration to urban areas: The goal is also to decrease migration from rural areas to urban areas by utilizing the untapped labor in rural areas.
• Livelihood: It seeks to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor and create durable assets such as wells, ponds, roads, and canals.
• Right-based approach:  Unlike previous employment guarantee schemes, the act aims to combat chronic poverty through a rights-based approach, giving citizens a legal right to work.
• The program incorporates accountability measures to ensure compliance and transparency at all levels.

Issues in implementation of MGNREGA in India are:

• Corruption: There have been instances of corruption, particularly in the form of embezzlement of funds and manipulation of records. For example, a recent example of an IAS officer in Jharkhand was accused of corruption in MGNREGA.
• Limited job opportunities: MGNREGA provides only 100 days of employment per person per year, which may not be enough to meet the needs of all rural citizens.
• Lack of awareness: Many rural citizens are not aware of their rights under MGNREGA, and as a result, they do not take advantage of the benefits it offers. 
• Bureaucratic delays: The program is often bogged down by bureaucratic delays and inefficiencies, making it difficult for citizens to access benefits in a timely manner. For example, delay in payments in Andhra Pradesh.
• Quality of work: Many critics argue that the quality of work carried out under MGNREGA is not up to the mark and the work undertaken is not aligned to the local needs and priorities. 
• Limited financial inclusion: Limited financial inclusion in the states such as Bihar is also a challenge for the proper implementation of MGNREGA regarding the transfer of wages. 

Hence, in order to resolve these issues, increasing in no of work (from 100 days to 150 days), Revision of permissible works, uniform wage rate across the country and increase in wages commensurate with inflation could prove to be instrumental.