The government has made Aadhaar-based payment mandatory for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) from September 1. This means that all payments under the scheme will be made directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries using their Aadhaar numbers.
The decision was taken by the Union Cabinet in January 2023. The government said that the move would help to eliminate fraud and ensure that wages are paid to the right beneficiaries in a timely manner.
The Aadhaar-based payment system has been in place for MGNREGS since 2016, but it was not mandatory until now. The government had earlier extended the deadline for making Aadhaar-based payment mandatory several times, citing the need to link the Aadhaar numbers of all MGNREGS beneficiaries.
According to the rural development ministry, over 90% of MGNREGS beneficiaries have already linked their Aadhaar numbers with their bank accounts. The remaining beneficiaries are being linked to Aadhaar on a priority basis.
The government has said that it will provide all necessary assistance to beneficiaries to link their Aadhaar numbers with their bank accounts. Beneficiaries who are unable to link their Aadhaar numbers can approach their local MGNREGS office for help.
The mandatory Aadhaar-based payment system is expected to bring in greater transparency and accountability in the MGNREGS. It will also help to reduce the time and cost involved in making payments to beneficiaries.
The move has been welcomed by many experts, who say that it will help to ensure that the benefits of the MGNREGS reach the intended beneficiaries. However, some activists have raised concerns about the privacy implications of the Aadhaar-based payment system. They argue that the government should not make Aadhaar mandatory for MGNREGS payments, as this could lead to the exclusion of some beneficiaries.
The government has said that it will take all necessary measures to protect the privacy of beneficiaries. It has also said that beneficiaries will have the option to withdraw their consent for Aadhaar-based payment at any time.
The mandatory Aadhaar-based payment system is a significant step in the government’s efforts to make the MGNREGS more efficient and transparent. It remains to be seen how effective the system will be in practice.
