Context: In the last two financial years – 2021-22 and 2022-23 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA)  over 10 lakh fake mgnrega job cards have been deleted.

Mgnrega Job Cards Deletions: 2021-22 and 2022-23

• In 2021-22, 3.06 lakh job cards were deleted in the NREGS due to reasons categorized as ‘fake mgnrega job cards.’
• In the subsequent year, 7.43 lakh job cards were deleted during 2022-23.
• State-wise Deletions: Fake Job Cards
  • Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of deleted fake job cards, with 67,937 in 2021-22 and a substantial increase to 2.96 lakh in 2022-23.
  • Madhya Pradesh followed closely, with 50,817 fake mgnrega job cards deleted in 2021-22 and 1.14 lakh in 2022-23.
  • West Bengal reported significantly lower figures, with only 388 fake mgnrega job cards deleted in 2021-22 and an increase to 5,263 in 2022-23.
  • Reasons for Deletion: Though the deletion and issuance of new job cards are routine practices, the primary reason behind these deletions is implementing the Aadhaar-based Payment System (ABPS),  according to the Economic and Political Weekly.
  • In January 2023, MoRD mandated using ABPS to process all wage payments in MGNREGA, starting from February 1, 2023.

News Source: The Indian Express