MGNREGA implementation in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district has come under scrutiny after villagers reported discrepancies in official attendance records. In the Elia development block, residents claim that MGNREGA digital records showed hundreds of labourers working on Republic Day, even though no work was carried out at the sites.
The allegations involve five gram panchayats where villagers say MGNREGA attendance was marked online and payments were processed despite the national holiday. Locals allege that work existed only ‘on paper’, raising serious concerns about transparency and monitoring under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, one of India’s largest rural employment programmes.
According to data accessed by villagers, MGNREGA records showed 308 labourers marked present across the five panchayats on the same day. Narbahanpur gram panchayat recorded the highest figure with 199 workers, followed by Kainpur with 45, Neri Kala with 38, Sarsora Kala with 15 and Khatkari with 11. Under MGNREGA guidelines, attendance is captured digitally using photographs and geo tagging to confirm on ground work. Villagers allege that while these digital steps were completed, no physical activity took place at the work sites.
Residents argue that the issue reflects gaps in oversight under MGNREGA rather than an isolated lapse. They claim complaints did not lead to inspections or verification by officials, allowing attendance to be uploaded without calling labourers. District MGNREGA nodal officer Chandan Dev Pandey said an inquiry would be conducted but did not share a timeline. Villagers say they are awaiting action and have demanded strict accountability and stronger monitoring of MGNREGA implementation.
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