Rural development is a broad concept, and scholars are often keen to explore its various dimensions. Given the complexity of its social, economic, and environmental aspects, precisely measuring rural development is always challenging. In this research, an attempt is made to measure the degree of rural development in the Sangli district of Maharashtra. The relationship between the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MGNREGP) and rural development is examined using empirical data. For this study, fifty villages from ten blocks in the Sangli district were purposively selected based on the extent of MGNREGP works. Data was collected through a well-designed questionnaire, focusing on social development, economic development, physical infrastructure development, and natural resource conservation in villages where MGNREGP activities were significant. A composite weighted rural development index was computed using these four indices, incorporating a total of 29 sub-indicators. Additionally, the rank correlation between these indices and MGNREGP was analyzed. The survey, conducted in study region reveals that MGNREGP plays a significant role in the rural development of Sangli district, particularly in drought-affected areas. The study found a strong positive relationship between MGNREGP and improvements in social development, economic development, physical infrastructure, and natural resource conservation. Overall, a strong positive correlation was observed between MGNREGP activities and the degree of rural development.