A study was conducted in Palakkad District of Kerala, to analyse changes in agricultural work participation and wages of beneficiary agricultural labourers after introduction of MGNREGS in paddy cultivation. The study revealed that agricultural work participation of women labourers was decreased by 68.42 per cent post MGNREGS. Thus MGNREGS aggravated already existing labour scarcity in agricultural sector. Though the wage income of the beneficiary respondents was increased, their agricultural wage income during the study period was decreased. Wage rate of women agricultural labourers was increasing in tune with the increase in MGNREGS wage rate.

Keyword: MGNREGS; Agricultural labour; Rice;