MGNREGS Deletions Impact Rural Workers

• Rural workers in India, including Rinku Devi and her husband, have been struggling to find work due to job card deletions from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

• Between April and September, 84.8 lakh workers registered under MGNREGS were found their names deleted from the programme.

• The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha protested against the “anti-worker, anti-poor” government at the Centre.

• Their main demands include immediate action to address systemic issues plaguing the MGNREGA, such as delayed wages, job card deletions, and inadequate allocation of funds by the Centre.

• The high rate of deletions coincides with the government’s push for the Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS).

• The Union Rural Development Ministry denied any correlation between the mandatory imposition of the Aadhaar-based payment system and high rate of job card deletions.

• Workers are in the dark about the reason for the deletion and what to do to sustain their families.

• They are also demanding the revocation of app-based attendance due to which they are not paid for days when internet connectivity is an issue.