Complete verification of MGNREGA job cards ordered in Demdema block
From Our Correspondent
TURA, May 23: In response to serious allegations raised by the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) regarding irregularities in the implementation of MGNREGA in Demdema C&RD Block, West Garo Hills, the State Rural Employment Society (SRES), Meghalaya, has issued an urgent directive for a complete verification of all job cards and beneficiaries across all Village Employment Councils (VECs) under the block.
The allegations made by the organisation, recently published in certain local dailies, highlighted several discrepancies in the implementation of MGNREGA in Demdema Block.
These include an unprecedented increase in job cards issued between 2020 and 2025, issuance of multiple job cards to the same households, registration of ineligible persons including minors, abnormal escalation of job card holders in plain belt areas, manipulation of Aadhaar-Based Payment Systems (ABPS) and the alleged involvement of block staff.
Based on these news reports, the Mission Director of SRES, Meghalaya, SC Sadhu, has instructed that no new work orders or electronic muster rolls (eMRs) be issued in any VECs until a full verification is completed and updated in the NREGA-MIS. Verified VECs may then proceed with MGNREGA-related activities. Furthermore, all fraudulent, duplicate, ghost and ineligible job cards are to be reported to the district and block offices for immediate deletion and recovery of wages where applicable. The directive also mandates 100 per cent ABPS compliance for all verified beneficiaries. Weekly progress reports are to be submitted to the state office.
The SRES Director has urged officials to treat the matter as a top priority to restore transparency and accountability in the implementation of the rural employment scheme.
As this development unfolds, all eyes are now on the verification process, with the public and watchdog groups closely monitoring for corrective action and accountability.