Congress Criticizes Government’s Aadhaar-Based Payment System for MGNREGA Workers

Congress Criticizes Government's Aadhaar-Based Payment System for MGNREGA Workers

VoM News Desk | January 1, 2024 | 11:14 PM IST | Breaking News, Politics | Follow on Google News

Congress Criticizes Government’s Aadhaar-Based Payment System for MGNREGA Workers/ANI

Congress Criticizes Government’s Aadhaar-Based Payment System for MGNREGA Workers

The Congress party launched a scathing attack on the Central government on Monday, denouncing the use of Aadhaar-based systems for the payment of MGNREGA workers, stating that it unfairly denies crucial social welfare benefits to vulnerable Indians.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary (Communications), criticized the Modi government for persisting with what he termed ‘destructive experiments with technology.’ He highlighted the Ministry of Rural Development’s refusal to extend the December 31 deadline for implementing the Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS), which mandates linking Aadhaar details to job cards for workers.

Ramesh emphasized that out of 25.69 crore MGNREGA workers, 14.33 crore are active, of whom 34.8% (8.9 crore) and 12.7% (1.8 crore) respectively are considered ineligible for ABPS. Despite objections raised by workers, practitioners, and researchers, the government proceeded with its implementation.

He accused the Prime Minister of displaying a disregard for MGNREGA by introducing experiments using technology as a means of exclusion, such as digital attendance (NMMS), ABPS, drone monitoring, and proposed facial recognition integration to NMMS. Ramesh highlighted the lack of consultation or scientific trials before implementing these initiatives affecting millions of Indians.

The Congress reiterated its demand from August 2023, urging the government to cease weaponizing technology, particularly Aadhaar, to deprive vulnerable citizens of their social welfare benefits. Ramesh called for prompt wage payments, open muster rolls, and enhanced transparency through social audits.

Ramesh raised concerns over the Ministry’s claim that no job cards would be deleted due to ineligibility for ABPS, despite a substantial number of 7.6 crore workers’ cards being deleted since April 2022, including 1.9 crore in the first nine months of the current fiscal year. He alleged that the rush to implement Aadhaar authentication led to numerous wrongful deletions.

Challenging the government’s assertion that various stakeholders supported ABPS, Ramesh demanded clarity on these stakeholders and their consultations. He accused the government of dismissing multiple concerns regarding ABPS and other technological interventions, turning a blind eye to ground-level realities.

VoM News Desk

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