27 lakh MGNREGS workers out of list amid e-KYC rollout, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• Approximately 27 lakh MGNREGS workers were removed from the scheme's database between October 10 and November 14.
• This deletion spike coincides with the Centre's push for e-KYC to eliminate ineligible beneficiaries.
• Lib Tech flagged this "unusual" rate of deletions, noting it nearly doubled the previous six-month total.
• States with high e-KYC completion rates, such as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Chhattisgarh, are leading in deletions.

Detailed Insights:

• The e-KYC process requires supervisors to upload worker photos to match Aadhaar data.
• The government introduced e-KYC due to the "misuse" of the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) platform.
• The Aadhaar Based Payment System (ABPS), made mandatory in 2023, also led to the exclusion of genuine workers due to strict matching requirements.
• Job card verification is a continuous process, with renewals required every five years, overseen by state governments and gram panchayats.
• In the first six months of the financial year 2025-26, net additions of workers fell by 17 lakh in a single month.

Key Concepts Involved:

• MGNREGS: A scheme guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment to rural households willing to do unskilled manual work.
• e-KYC: Electronic Know Your Customer, a digital process for verifying the identity of clients.
• Aadhaar Based Payment System (ABPS): A system using Aadhaar numbers for direct benefit transfer.