99.67% of Active MGNREGA Workers Aadhaar-Seeded as e-KYC Integration Aims to Improve Transparency and Service Delivery
The Ministry of Rural Development continues to work toward transparent and effective implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to ensure that rural households receive the benefits provided under the Act. MGNREGA currently spans 2.69 lakh Gram Panchayats across the country and has over 26 crore registered workers.
According to Para 2 of Schedule II of the Act, it is the responsibility of the Gram Panchayat to issue a job card within fifteen days of receiving an application. The job card must include a unique job card number and details such as the registered number, insurance policy number, and Aadhaar numbers, if available.
Para 3 of Schedule II outlines that job cards are renewed every five years after verification. State Governments, through Panchayat Raj Institutions such as Gram Panchayats, are responsible for activities related to job cards, including issuance, verification, and renewal.
Job card verification is an ongoing activity, while renewal is conducted once every five years. To support these statutory functions, States and Union Territories have been encouraged to use the e-KYC feature available in the National Mobile Monitoring System app for job card verification and renewal following existing procedures. This measure is intended to help States complete verification in a timely, transparent, and efficient manner. With 99.67 percent of active workers already Aadhaar-seeded, the e-KYC feature offers a simple and reliable method for verifying job cards.
Through the NMMS App, the Gram Rojgar Sahayak, worksite supervisor, mate, or any other Gram Panchayat-level functionary captures a worker’s photograph during e-KYC. The image is digitally verified with the worker’s Aadhaar details in real time, completing the process for each worker in under a minute. States have been advised to address issues such as network connectivity to ensure smooth implementation. e-KYC may be conducted at worksites, special camps held by Gram Panchayats, or other locations decided by the State. This step aims to strengthen transparency, efficiency, and ease of service delivery under MGNREGA. States and ground-level officials have been oriented and trained through various platforms to support the process, and more than 56 percent of active workers have already completed e-KYC.
The Ministry reiterates its commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in field-level implementation of the Scheme and to protecting the rights of genuine workers so they continue to receive wage employment without disruption.
Regarding the deletion of job cards or worker records, a Standard Operating Procedure was issued on 24 January 2025. The SOP provides clear and uniform guidelines for States to follow, focusing on fairness, accountability, and protection of workers’ interests when managing job card records. Safeguards have been established to prevent arbitrary or wrongful deletions. While States are responsible for adhering to the SOP, the Ministry maintains close oversight.
The Ministry remains dedicated to ensuring that all willing rural households are able to access their entitlements under MGNREGA while upholding transparency, accountability, and operational effectiveness.