Jammu and Kashmir recorded over one lakh eight thousand active worker deletions or cancellations from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, MGNREGS in the financial year 2023-24, a significant rise compared to 44,227 deletions in 2022-23.
Akashvani Jammu correspondent reports that the reasons for these deletions often include issues such as fake, duplicate, or incorrect job cards, families permanently relocating outside the Gram Panchayat, or villages being classified as urban.
According to data shared in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister of State of Rural Development, Kamlesh Paswan, 1 lakh 8 thousand and 263 active workers were removed from the scheme in the Union Territory during this period.
The regular updating and deletion of job cards are essential components of the scheme, carried out by States, and UTs to ensure the accuracy and eligibility of workers.
The reasons for deletion typically include issues like fake, duplicate, or incorrect job cards, families permanently shifting out of the Gram Panchayat, or the classification of a village as urban.
As per the data provided in the Lok Sabha by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development, Kamlesh Paswan, 108,263 active workers were removed from the scheme in J&K during this period, a significant increase from 44,227 workers deleted in the previous year (2022-23).
This surge places J&K at 13th position nationwide in terms of the number of deletions.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) is a demand-driven wage employment program, with the responsibility of its implementation lying with the respective State/UT Governments.
An important part of the scheme is the regular updation and deletion of job cards, which is carried out by the States/UTs to maintain the accuracy and eligibility of workers. While performing deletions or removals, the States/UTs are required to comply with the provisions of the MGNREGA Act to ensure that no deserving or eligible household’s job card is deleted or canceled.
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