Consistent with the theory of real options, it is argued that the value of the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) in the Indian state of Maharashtra and its impact on workers` behaviour do not depend so much on its income supplementation as on enlargement of opportunities in an uncertain...

Consistent with real option theory, the authors argue that the value of the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) in rural India and its impact on workers' behavior does not depend so much on its income supplementation as on enlargement of opportunities in the uncertain local labor market. The...

Our analysis, based on the ICRISAT panel survey of villages in the semi-arid region of south India, confirms the income stabilizing effect of the Employment Guarantee Scheme in India. Variability of household income is measured by an unconditional variance of residuals of an income equation. A...