Latest news with #NationalMobileMonitoringSystem
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
MGNREGS mobile monitoring being fudged, govt tells states
File photo NEW DELHI: The ministry of rural development (MoRD) has asked states to take immediate corrective action and bolster monitoring of the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) for MGNREGA, saying that several instances have come to its notice about the system for capturing daily attendance and work site photographs being 'misused or manipulated'. The ministry has also asked states and UTs to identify users and officials responsible for the 'misuse or deliberate manipulation' of NMMS and take strict disciplinary action against them. In the communication dated July 8, the ministry said that 'such serious discrepancies undermine the credibility of the digital attendance system and may lead to potential misuse of public funds'. The discrepancies include upload of irrelevant or unrelated photographs, photo-to-photo capturing instead of live work images, and the same photo of workers being on multiple muster rolls. 'These irregularities raise significant concerns regarding the lack of monitoring and accountability at the state, district and block levels, which is affecting the integrity of the implementation process and may lead to financial irregularities and potential corruption. Thus, the purpose of NMMS in Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is really at stake,' the note from MGNREGA division of the department of rural development stated. To check the irregularities, MoRD has listed measures the states have to implement. These include a manual verification process to begin with, setting a target number of photos to be verified at the gram panchayat, block, district and state levels. The states have to submit verification reports to the ministry and also set up NMMS monitoring cells. Meanwhile, Congress has lashed out at the Modi govt over the issue, with party general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh pointing out in a statement that Congress had been highlighting its operational problems since the NMMS app was introduced in May 2022. The party has demanded the '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'. Citing the July 8 note, Ramesh said the MoRD has 'finally acknowledged various problems associated with NMMS'.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Congress slams govt over problems in MGNREGA app
New Delhi: 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.
United News of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Cong slams govt over NMMS app, says ‘FAST means First Announce Second Think'
New Delhi, July 17 (UNI) The Congress today attacked the Modi Government accusing it of pushing ahead with the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) app in MGNREGA without adequately assessing its implications for rural workers. 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. UNI RBE PRS
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Congress demands scraping of digital attendance system for MNREGA workers
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.
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
First announce second think: Congress slams govt over problems in NMMS app
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.
