Cong slams govt over NMMS app, says ‘FAST means First Announce Second Think'
Taking aim at the government's approach, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh in a statement said, 'FAST is the self-declared motto of the Modi Govt. It actually stands for First Announce Second Think.'
'In May 2022, the Modi Govt introduced the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) app in MGNREGA for digital verification of attendance and works. Ever since this was done, the Indian National Congress had been highlighting the operational problems with NMMS and how it was damaging the letter and spirit of MGNREGA. Now in a notification issued on July 8, the Union Ministry of Rural Development has finally acknowledged the various problems associated with the NMMS,' Ramesh said.
'It was evident from the beginning that many workers would be unfairly denied wages simply because their photographs couldn't be uploaded in real time due to network issues,' the Rajya Sabha MP said. 'At the same time, the NMMS has proven ineffective at preventing fraud. Fake workers can simply turn up twice a day to be photographed and still get paid without doing any real work,' he said.
He also highlighted the recent revelations that fake and random photos are being uploaded to the app, underscoring what he called the 'absolute uselessness' of the NMMS.
'However, the Modi government, post its acknowledgment of the issue, has identified solutions that are worse than the problem. NMMS photos will now also be backed by physical verification by officers in-charge. This proposed solution is going to waste the precious time of NREGA functionaries, from top to bottom. Either they can verify photos, as is being mandated by the latest order, or they can perform their regular duties,' Ramesh said.
Ramesh reiterated the Congress' long-standing demands for a fundamental overhaul of the current system. These demands, several of which have also been echoed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, include: Immediate withdrawal of the unworkable and counterproductive NMMS model based on photo uploads and reaffirmation of task-based payments which is the essence of MGNREGA.
He said amid a decade-long crisis of stagnant wages, an increase in MGNREGA wages -- as envisioned in the Congress Nyay Patra for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections -- assumes renewed importance. MGNREGA wages must rise to reach Rs 400 per day
'The Aadhar Based Payment Bridge Systems (ABPS) must not be made mandatory and wages must be paid within the statutory period of 15 days and any delay in payment must be compensated,' he demanded.
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