Hierarchical cluster analysis of water conservation works completed through MNREGS in Ghazipur District, Uttar Pradesh

Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh stretches over an area of total 3384 sq.km with a population of 36,22,727 (census 2011). Lack of job opportunities and limited availability of resources for sustainable development of these villages is the prime factor towards the economic growth of the nation. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) is a landmark legislation aimed to create durable assets and strengthen the livelihood resource base of the rural poor. The present paper evaluates the performance of water conservation works completed during last 5 years under MNREGS in 16 blocks of Ghazipur District. The database was retrieved from the web site of MNREGS. Trend analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was performed using Microsoft Excel2007 and SPSS20 to assess the comparative performance of 16 blocks in terms of employment generation, fund allocation and works completion. The result of trend analysis revealed that completion rate of water conservation related work was found comparatively higher (24%) than the other category of works except road connectivity work (49%). The result of HCA grouped the best (Cluster-1) and poor (Cluster-2A and 2B) performed blocks. Manihari block (Cluster-1) and Mardah block (Cluster-2A) were represented better performing blocks of Ghazipur District as compare to other 14 blocks (Cluster-2B). Therefore it can be concluded, that by improving the work completion rate of water conservation works under MNREGA, the availability of safe drinking water and irrigation water in rural India can also be increased and reduce vulnerability to climate variability apart from employment generation.