First announce second think: Congress slams govt over problems in NMMS app

Business Standard

17-07-2025

The Congress on Thursday hit out at the Modi government over the "operational problems" related to the National Mobile Monitoring System application in MGNREGA for digital verification of attendance and works, and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the "unworkable" as well as "counterproductive" model.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said FAST is the self-declared motto of the Modi government and it actually stands for - "First Announce Second Think".
In May 2022, the Modi government introduced the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) app in MGNREGA for digital verification of attendance and works, and ever since this was done the Congress had been highlighting the operational problems with NMMS and how it was damaging the letter and spirit of MGNREGA, Ramesh said in a statement.
"Now in a notification issued on July 8th 2025 the Union Ministry of Rural Development has finally acknowledged the various problems associated with the NMMS. It was clear from the beginning that uploading photographs from NREGA worksites would end up excluding genuine workers whose photos could not be uploaded due to connectivity issues," he said.
Further, the NMMS cannot stop "fake workers" appearing on the muster rolls, as fake workers can go twice a day to be photographed, get paid without working for a minute, he pointed out.
"What has come to light -- that fake and random photos are being uploaded --? only demonstrating the absolute uselessness of the NMMS," Ramesh said.
However, the Modi government, post its acknowledgment of the issue, has identified solutions that are worse than the problem, he said.
The NMMS photos will now also be backed by physical verification by officers in-charge, he said, adding 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, he argued.
Ramesh pointed out that the Congress has consistently demanded several key changes to the Union government's implementation of MGNREGA, and the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has echoed several of these, including 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, amidst 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 ₹400 per day, Ramesh asserted.
The Aadhar Based Payment Bridge Systems (ABPS) must not be made mandatory, he added.
Wages must be paid within the statutory period of 15 days and any delay in payment must be compensated, Ramesh said.
In April this year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj tabled a report in Parliament, recommending increasing the number of days of work under the scheme to 150 from the current 100, and also suggested that wages be increased to at least Rs 400 per day.
The panel, which has been expressing concern over stagnation in allocation to the flagship rural employment scheme, has also stressed on social audits to ensure its proper implementation.