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O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4009
ANSWERED ON 17/03/2026
FAKE JOB CARDS UNDER MGNREGS
4009. Smt. Geniben Nagaji Thakor:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the total amount of pending wage payments under Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
(MGNREGS) in Banaskantha district at present;
(b) the average delay (in days) in wage payments during the last
three financial years;
(c) whether the cases of fake job cards, fudged muster rolls or fake
beneficiaries in the district have come to the notice;
(d) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken thereon;
(e) whether any material exclusions, particularly of women and
migrant workers have been done, due to the Aadhaar-based
payment system, if so, the details thereof; and
(f) whether the Government proposes to reinvigorate the demand-
driven and rights-based nature of MGREGS, if so, the details
thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a): Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is a demand-driven wage employment
scheme. Under the scheme, the wage payments are directly credited
by the Central Government to the accounts of the beneficiaries
through the Direct Benefit Transfer protocol. Sanctions for wage
payments are issued daily by the Ministry through the Public Finance
Management System (PFMS) based on fund transfer orders received
from the States/UTs after following due procedures.
Under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 12.03.2026, an amount of
Rs. 114.34 crore is pending liability for the wage component in case
of State of Gujarat.
Under the Scheme, in the current financial year 2025-26 (as on
12.03.2026), an amount of Rs. 810.68 crore has been released to
Page 1 of 2Gujarat for wage component. As Sanction for payment of wages are
issued by Ministry on a daily basis through PFMS (Public Finance
Management System), after receipt of funds transfer orders from
States/UTs after following the due procedures, the fund release
status keeps updating on a daily basis.
Here it is also stated that no direct release of fund from Central
Govt. to districts are done under the scheme.
(b): Percentage of Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs) generated within 15
days from the closure of muster rolls in Banaskantha district of
Gujarat, Gujarat and National level under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS
during the three financial years are given below:
Percentage of FTOs Percentage of Percentage of
Financial generated within 15 FTOs generated FTOs generated
Years in Banaskantha within 15 within 15
district of Gujarat in Gujarat at National level
2022-23 90.59 94.72 92.5
2023-24 99.72 99.63 97.87
2024-25 99.92 99.86 97.05
(As per NREGASoft)
(c) & (d): As per the information furnished by the State Government
of Gujarat no such case has come to notice.
(e): As per the information furnished by the State Government of
Gujarat no such incident occurred.
(f): In December 2025, Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat—
Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB GRAM-G)
Act, 2025. This Act, which will replace the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA,
2005, aims to provide 125 days of unskilled wage employment in rural
areas of States/UTs.
Further, it is stated that the primary objective of the Viksit Bharat-
Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) VB-G RAM G Act,
2025, is to align the rural development framework with the national
vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 by providing an enhanced statutory
wage employment guarantee of one hundred and twenty-five days in
each financial year to such rural households whose adult members
volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work, thereby enabling them
to participate more effectively in the expanded livelihood security
framework. As Viksit Bharat G RAM G retains the demand driven
nature of the program, the workers are entitled to avail the guarantee
of 125 days given under the Act.
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