logo
Congress demands scraping of digital attendance system for MNREGA workers

Congress demands scraping of digital attendance system for MNREGA workers

The Hindu17-07-2025
Digitally capturing attendance of MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers through web platform National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) that depends on photo uploads of the workers is 'unworkable' & 'counterproductive' and must be withdrawn, Congress general secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said in a statement here.
The Hindu had reported on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) Union Rural Development Ministry's July 8th directions to the States flagging the various ways NMMS, which was aimed at bringing in transparency, was being manipulated. Three years back the government had made it mandatory for all MNREGA workers to use this platform for marking their attendance. It required them to upload their photographs twice a day at the worksite. It was found that to meet this requirement, irrelevant photographs were being uploaded among other discrepancies.
'FAST is the self-declared motto of the Modi Government. It actually stands for First Announce Second Think,' Mr. Ramesh said in a statement here taking a dig at the government. Since its introduction, Mr. Ramesh said the Congress has highlighted the operational problems with NMMS and the government's July 8 notification is a final 'acknowledgement' of the problem.
The NMMS, Mr. Ramesh said, ended up excluding many genuine workers because of internet connectivity and other reasons without effectively checking the fake workers since they can go twice a day to be photographed, get paid without working for a minute. 'However, the Modi Government, post its acknowledgment of the issue, has identified solutions that are worse than the problem,' he said. Engaging the administration from top to bottom to verify the photos is going to waste the precious time of MNREGA functionaries. He demanded that the government must affirm 'task-based payments' which is the essence of MNREGA.
Nikhil Dey, founder member of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, said, that the July 8th order is a confession that NMMS doesn't work but the solution offered is misplaced and misdirected. 'The government is paying the MNREGA labourer for the work carried out not simply for showing up. A photo, even if clicked twice a day doesn't show whether any work was carried out,' Mr. Dey said.
Instead of imposing newer and more complicated measures on the workers, Mr. Dey argued that the government must hold the supervisory authorities and the engineers accountable. 'A worker is paid on the basis of measurements by the engineers, first in carving out the work and then in appraising how much of it has been done. Instead of tasking the entire administration to look at photographs, shouldn't the government come up with monitoring mechanisms for supervisory authorities and engineers. Let them need to produce geo-tagged and geo-fenced photographs of the times they go to the field,' Mr. Dey said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Congress, Chidambaram speaking Pakistan's language: Shivraj Chouhan
Congress, Chidambaram speaking Pakistan's language: Shivraj Chouhan

Business Standard

time22 minutes ago

  • Business Standard

Congress, Chidambaram speaking Pakistan's language: Shivraj Chouhan

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday accused the Congress and its leader P Chidambaram of "speaking the same language" as used by Pakistan and claimed that the Opposition was "running away" from a discussion in Parliament on Operation Sindoor out of fear of being unmasked. Speaking to reporters inside the Parliament complex, he said when the government is ready to discuss the issue then why is the Opposition running away from it. The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Monday amid opposition protests on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, delaying the start of the discussion on Operation Sindoor. A political row erupted on Monday over Chidambaram's reported remarks that the terrorists behind the Pahalgam could have been "homegrown". "It was their demand only that a discussion should be held on Operation Sindoor. And, when the government is ready for discussion, why is it running away from it? The entire Opposition is not letting a discussion on terror and terrorism. Is there a fear of being unmasked?" Chouhan said. Reacting to former home minister Chidambaram's reported remarks related to the Pahalgam terror attack in a video interview, Chouhan said, "Why is P Chidambaram saying this?" "The language in which Pakistan is speaking, the same language is being used by Chidambaram and Congress... The mask has been removed from the Opposition's face," he said, wondering if the Congress leader was asking for proof about Pakistan's hand in the attack. Chidambaram, in an interview with The Quint, said, "...for all we know they could be homegrown terrorists, why do we assume they came from Pakistan?". He, however, later said that his remarks had been taken out of context. "Trolls are of different kinds and use different tools to spread misinformation. The worst kind is a troll who suppresses the full recorded interview, takes two sentences, mutes some words, and paints the speaker in a black colour!" he wrote on X. Earlier in the day, BJP leader and former Union minister Anurag Thakur accused the Congress of casting doubts on the achievements of the Indian Army during Operation Sindoor. Speaking to PTI Videos inside the Parliament complex, he alleged, "When it comes to terrorist attacks, Pakistan is unable to defend itself, but Rahul-occupied Congress leaders are quick to take its side." Thakur said this was not the first time that Congress leaders have demanded evidence from the Indian Army while attempting to "absolve Pakistan in advance". "The country will not give dossiers anymore, it will give doses. We will not give proof, we will give coffins to terrorists," the Hamirpur MP said. Thakur said those who once promoted an anti-India narrative could not face the Indian Army during the operation, in a reference to Pakistan. "This mindset of placing doubt on our soldiers while shielding Pakistan shows the Congress' low thinking and anti-national attitude," he alleged. BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said Chidambaram's comments were "deeply shameful", especially given his stature as a former home minister. Speaking to PTI Videos, she pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared the start of the Monsoon Session a celebration of Operation Sindoor's success. "And yet, someone like P Chidambaram gives such a should be ashamed," she said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Kerala Congress leader predicts CPM win in local body poll in leaked audio, resigns
Kerala Congress leader predicts CPM win in local body poll in leaked audio, resigns

India Today

time22 minutes ago

  • India Today

Kerala Congress leader predicts CPM win in local body poll in leaked audio, resigns

Thiruvananthapuram District Congress Committee (DCC) President Palode Ravi resigned from his post following the leak of a controversial audio clip in which he made critical remarks about the Congress party's prospects in the audio, Ravi is heard telling a party worker that the CPI(M)-led LDF government is likely to return to power in the state for a third consecutive term. He also predicted a major setback for the Congress in the upcoming local body elections and said the party would finish third in nearly 60 assembly constituencies as 'BJP will buy votes like in Lok Sabha elections.'advertisement'With that, this party will be in a terrible condition. Muslim community will go to communist party and other parties. Congress supporters will go to BJP and other parties,' Ravi added in the call. He was speaking to A Jaleel, the Vamanapuram Block General Secretary of the Congress in Thiruvananthapuram. Following the leak, the Congress leadership expelled Jaleel from the party's primary membership, citing prima facie evidence of anti-organizational the wake of Ravi's resignation, senior Congress leader and former Speaker N Sakthan has been given temporary charge as the president of the Thiruvananthapuram local body elections in Kerala are tentatively scheduled for December this year, while the assembly elections are expected in April-May 2026.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Kerala

Kharge's claim of being denied CM post in 1999 sparks row; BJP says Gandhi family blocked Dalit rise
Kharge's claim of being denied CM post in 1999 sparks row; BJP says Gandhi family blocked Dalit rise

Hans India

time22 minutes ago

  • Hans India

Kharge's claim of being denied CM post in 1999 sparks row; BJP says Gandhi family blocked Dalit rise

Bengaluru: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's recent remark that he was denied the Chief Minister's post in Karnataka in 1999 despite his hard work has sparked a controversy and triggered a political debate across the state. Reacting to Kharge's statement, the Karnataka BJP, on Monday, alleged that the Gandhi family has consistently blocked the rise of Dalit leaders within the Congress. While addressing a gathering in Vijayapura on Sunday, the Congress President said, "I too became the CLP (Congress Legislature Party) leader and worked hard to bring the party to power in Karnataka. Eventually, our government did come to power, but S.M. Krishna, who had come to the forefront in the party just four months earlier, was made the Chief Minister." Responding to Kharge's remarks, Leader of the Opposition and veteran BJP leader R. Ashoka, on Monday, said, "From publicly insulting former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister T. Anjaiah on an airport tarmac, to ousting Sitaram Kesari from the Congress office like a criminal, to denying AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge Ji the CM post in 1999 despite decades of loyalty -- every time a Dalit rises in the Congress party, the Gandhi family ensures he is pulled down." "Now, Rahul Gandhi, the current Leader of the Opposition, lectures the country on 'NYAY' (justice). Is this your definition of NYAY, Mr. Rahul Gandhi? Will you start by conducting a Dalit census within your own party leadership? Or are Dalits merely tools for election speeches, not for real empowerment?" BJP leader Ashoka asked. "The truth is, the Congress High Command has always believed in tokenism, not transformation -- in euphemism, not empowerment," Ashoka charged. Kharge had earlier remarked, "As CLP leader, I worked hard to bring the party to power and make sure a Congress-led government was formed in the state. The party ultimately did come to power. But after that, the late S.M. Krishna — who had become KPCC President just four months prior -- was made Chief Minister. All our contributions went in vain." "I felt disheartened. We worked for five years, but someone who had been with the party for just four months was elevated to the CM's post. There have been many such instances. It doesn't look good to talk about everything on the same day," Kharge added. S.M. Krishna served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004, while Kharge served under him as a Minister. Prior to that, Kharge had led the Congress as Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store