Ludhiana: MGNREGA to be linked with PM Gati Shakti app: BJP national secy

Dhankhar said workers would now receive wages within 15 days, unlike earlier when payments were often delayed for three to four months

BJP national secretary and former Haryana agriculture minister OP Dhankhar on Friday said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme would be linked with the Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti app to ensure complete transparency and curb irregularities.

Dhankhar said payments would now be made directly into workers’ bank accounts, further improving transparency. (HT Photo)

Addressing a press conference at the BJP district office in Dugri, Dhankhar said the number of guaranteed workdays under MGNREGA had been increased from 100 to 125 days as part of the government’s rural development mission. District BJP president Rajnish Dhiman and Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sareen were also present.

Dhankhar said workers would now receive wages within 15 days, unlike earlier when payments were often delayed for three to four months. “If there is any delay in payment, interest will also be paid to the workers,” he said.

He added that although an unemployment allowance was earlier promised under the scheme, it was not implemented properly. “Now this provision will also be ensured,” he said.

The BJP leader said the scheme had earlier witnessed manipulation at the local level, where sarpanches or village heads allegedly extended benefits to their close associates to strengthen vote banks. “By linking MGNREGA with the PM Gati Shakti app, the identity of the worker and the work performed will be digitally recorded. This will leave no scope for manipulation,” he said.

Dhankhar said payments would now be made directly into workers’ bank accounts, further improving transparency. He also said the share of funds for implementing machinery had been increased from 6 per cent to 9 per cent to ensure better execution and monitoring of works.

Highlighting the need for digitisation, he said in several states people working outside their villages or states were still shown as beneficiaries under MGNREGA. “Digitisation is necessary to remove such discrepancies and ensure that benefits reach only genuine workers,” he said.

Dhankhar alleged that the opposition was uncomfortable with increased transparency in the scheme and was therefore raising objections.