Fraudulent MGNREGA attendance in India: Names of overseas workers used to embezzle funds, officials launch investigation

KAITHAL: A surprising incident has shot to light in Haryana's Kaithal district which caused a loss to the exchequer. A complainant approached officials alleging that a major scam of crores of rupees has been committed in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme in Kaithal district.
However, officials launched a probe into the matter and suspended three mates of Kakkheri village as per the basis of initial enquiry.
According to sources, the Junior Engineers have been served notices also asking for their responses to the matter. Sources said that during the investigation, irregularities were found in the NREGA works in Kakarala Anayat village under Siwan block. It revealed that the attendance of such persons, who had gone abroad, was recorded under this scheme, and their wages were embezzled.
In Kakarala Anayat village, fake job cards were created for 40 people who were living abroad under the NNREGA scheme. Their attendance was recorded, and lakhs of rupees in wages were embezzled, said the complainant.
Amreek Singh, a resident of this village, filed a complaint stating that job cards were issued to about 22 people from the village who are currently residing in countries such as Germany, Italy, France, Malaysia, and Portugal. These individuals were shown as NNREGA workers, and payments were made to their accounts.
He said that of the amount sent to their accounts, these were given only a small portion, usually a few thousand rupees, while the rest of the money was shared between the mates and officials. In reality, there were only about 40 workers in the village who worked under MNREGA, but 328 job cards were created. This scam has been ongoing since 2022. Amreek Singh mentioned that he had lodged complaints with the CM Window and the DC several times, but no action had been taken.
Notably, during the district-level development coordination and monitoring committee meeting held last Tuesday, Guhla MLA Devender Hans raised the issue of irregularities in MNREGA works in various villages of the district. During the meeting, MP Naveen Jindal, who was presiding over the session, ordered a thorough investigation into the Rs 18 crore worth of work done under NREGA over the past 10 months. MP Jindal emphasized that MNREGA was created to provide employment to rural people, and if there were any irregularities, they should be immediately stopped.
Sushil Kumar, chief executive officer (CEO) of Zila Parishad in Kaithal district told the TOI that investigation is underway and action would be taken accordingly. Some irregularities were found following which three mates have been suspended.