The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) provides a legal guarantee of at least 100 days of employment per financial year to adult members of rural households willing to do public work related manual labor at minimum wage. It aims to alleviate poverty and foster rural development. Key features include time-bound employment, wage payments within 15 days, emphasis on labor intensive projects, and a requirement that 1/3 of participants are women. The program is jointly funded by central and state governments.