SHILLONG, May 30: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) has urged the State Rural Development Society (SRDS) to withhold the release of all pending material bills under Demdema C&RD Block until a complete door-to-door verification of all job cards is carried out.
The appeal comes against the backdrop of a detailed assessment that revealed the alleged involvement of four data entry operators (DEOs) in surreptitiously registering hundreds of job card holders into the MGNREGA database without proper verification or prior approval from the competent authority.
Demanding an inquiry into the physical execution and financial utilisation of all works sanctioned under MGNREGA for the financial years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, CoMSO general secretary, Balkram CH Marak, recommended appropriate disciplinary action if any officials or personnel are found complicit in enabling irregularities.
“This appeal is not adversarial but rooted in the collective conscience of the people of West Garo Hills, who stand committed to participatory governance, lawful administration and the preservation of Meghalaya’s rural development ethos,” he said, adding that they trust the SRDS will uphold the sanctity of the MGNREGA framework and the integrity of democratic institutions.
Marak also expressed CoMSO’s willingness to support any collaborative efforts, fact-finding missions, or citizen audits deemed necessary by the department in the public interest.
“Your directive for a full-scale verification of all job cards issued within Demdema C&RD Block reaffirms public faith in the mechanisms of transparent and just governance,” the CoMSO general secretary added.
He, however, noted that as civil society stakeholders dedicated to the defence of constitutional values, rural development and community equity, the CoMSO feels compelled to highlight further developments requiring administrative prudence and financial scrutiny.
Marak said that according to reliable community sources and preliminary field observations, a significant number of job cards under the Demdema Block may have been issued through irregular and opaque processes, in direct contravention of MGNREGA guidelines. He cited the absence of proper household surveys, non-consultation with Gram Sabhas, and alleged favouritism in beneficiary selection as major concerns. As such, he said, the database of active job cards is, at best, unreliable and in urgent need of comprehensive vetting.
“What raises deeper concern is the manner in which material bills—linked directly to the number of active job cards—have been prepared and submitted,” Marak said.
He further stated that if a large proportion of these cards are indeed invalid or ineligible, the corresponding material bills, calculated on their basis, are rendered suspect.
Marak added that the risk of inflated claims, ghost works and financial leakage becomes not only plausible but highly likely.
It has been credibly reported that many works sanctioned during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 fiscal years were not executed as per technical specifications or measurable standards, with physical completion not even amounting to 30% in some cases, he said.
Marak added that these inconsistencies call for a concurrent technical and financial audit to ensure that public funds are utilised solely for the benefit of genuine beneficiaries.
