The Hindu: Published on December 07, 2024:
Why in News?
Rinku Devi, 38, and her husband, daily wage workers from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, are facing severe hardships after being deleted from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which ensures 100 days of rural employment annually. Their struggle highlights a larger issue of job card deletions affecting rural workers across India.
Background:
The MGNREGS provides job opportunities to rural households, guaranteeing employment for 100 days a year.
Rinku Devi’s situation is part of a larger trend where 84.8 lakh workers were found to have their job cards deleted from April to September 2024, according to a study by Lib Tech.
Meanwhile, 45.4 lakh new workers were added, resulting in a net deletion of 39.3 lakh workers.
Key Issues Highlighted by Protesters:
Aadhaar Linking Problems:
Many workers believe that Aadhaar-based payment requirements have led to job card deletions.
Aadhaar must match job card details, and bank accounts should be Aadhaar-seeded for payments to proceed.
Inadequate Government Response:
The Union Rural Development Ministry denied any role in job card deletions during Question Hour in Lok Sabha, refuting claims about a connection with the Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS).
App-Based Attendance Issues:
The system often requires workers to mark attendance online.
Internet connectivity problems result in unmarked attendance, which translates to unpaid days of work.
Neha Salvi, a helper aiding workers in attendance marking, pointed out that this issue occurs at least 1-2 times a week.
Demands by Protesters (NREGA Sangharsh Morcha):
Addressing delayed wages, job card deletions, and fund allocation issues.
Protesting workers seek the revocation of app-based attendance requirements due to the challenges in internet connectivity.
Impact:
Many rural households are now struggling to sustain their families due to job loss and lack of alternative employment opportunities.
Workers like Mayanand, 35, rely entirely on MGNREGS for a livelihood but are now left without work opportunities, unable to support their families of six members.
Conclusion:
The situation underscores a critical gap between government policies and rural realities, highlighting systemic issues with Aadhaar integration, fund allocation, and attendance monitoring. As protests continue, the debate around digital infrastructure, administrative requirements, and rural employment rights remains a pressing issue in India’s efforts to strengthen MGNREGS effectiveness.
