The past few years have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of workers being deleted from MGNREGA job cards.

About MGNREGA

• The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) stands as a cornerstone of India’s social security net.
  • It provides a legal guarantee of 100 days of work per year to every rural household. 
• This right, enshrined in the Act and operationalized through job cards.has been increasingly undermined by a surge in worker deletions.

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About MGNREGA Job Cards

• MGNREGA Job Cards are essential documents issued to rural households under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). 
• These cards serve as a crucial tool for ensuring the implementation of the Act and guaranteeing the right to work for rural households.

Key Features of MGNREGA Job Cards

• Unique Identification: Each job card is assigned a unique identification number.
• Household Details: Contains information about all adult members of the household eligible for work.
• Work Eligibility: Entitles the cardholder to 100 days of guaranteed wage employment per year.
• Wage Disbursement: Records the work done, wages earned, and payment details.
• Monitoring Tool: Used to track work progress, monitor wage payments, and assess program implementation.
• Issued by Gram Panchayat: Local self-government bodies are responsible for issuing MGNREGA job cards to eligible households within their jurisdiction.

Factors responsible for Rising Deletions

• A staggering 10.43 crore workers have been removed over the last four years, with a particularly alarming spike in 2022-23. 
• Reason for deletion: The implementation of Aadhaar-based payment systems in MGNREGA has been linked to the rise in worker deletions. 
• Arbitrary Deletions: In a rush to achieve 100% Aadhaar seeding, field officials resorted to shortcuts, including deleting job cards of workers who could not be immediately linked to their Aadhaar numbers.
• Lack of Transparency: The deletion process has often been marred by a lack of transparency and due process. 
  • Workers have been removed from job cards without proper notice or opportunity to be heard.
  • Reasons cited for deletion, such as “not willing to work” or “duplicate applicant,” often seem arbitrary and unsubstantiated.

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Impact on Rural Livelihoods

• This trend is deeply concerning, as it directly impacts the livelihoods of millions of rural households.
• The erosion of the right to work has severe consequences for rural livelihoods. 
• Workers who are deleted from job cards are deprived of their legal entitlement to employment and social security. 
• This can push vulnerable households into deeper poverty and food insecurity.

Restoring the Right to Work

• Strengthening Accountability and Transparency: Implementing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track worker deletions and ensure adherence to due process.
• Independent Audits: Conducting regular, independent audits of MGNREGA implementation to identify and rectify irregularities.
• Empowering Gram Sabhas: Empowering Gram Sabhas to play a more active role in overseeing MGNREGA implementation and protecting the rights of workers.
• Public Awareness and Grievance Redress: Raising awareness about the right to work and establishing effective grievance redress mechanisms.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Leveraging technology and data analytics to improve MGNREGA implementation and identify trends in worker deletions.