Lok Sabha Question No. 2592 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-05
Subject: Deletion of Job Cards
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Jyotsna Charandas Mahant, Shri Pradyut Bordoloi, Shri K C Venugopal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2592 ANSWERED ON 05/08/2025

## DELETION OF JOB CARDS

## 2592. Shri K C Venugopal:

Smt. JyotsnaCharandasMahant: Shri PradyutBordoloi:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  and  total  number  of  job  cards  deleted  under  the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme  (MGNREGS)  due  to  Aadhaar-linking  failures  since 2023, State and year-wise;
- (b) the  quantum  of  wages  pending  for  more  than  30  days  under MGNREGS as of March 2025, State-wise;
- (c) the  details  of  steps  taken  by  the  Ministry  to  address  the increased demand for work under MGNREGS; and
- (d) the measures taken by the Government to address unemployment among semi-rural youth alongwith details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a): To ensure timely payment of wages to the beneficiaries under Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) and to address the issues arising due to frequent changes in bank account numbers of the beneficiaries and subsequent  non-updation,  it  was  decided  to implement  Aadhar Payment  Bridge  System  (APBS).  This  has  been  made  mandatory with effect from 1 st  January 2024.It is a mode of payment of wages under the scheme.

The Job cards are not deleted  due  to  reason  of  non-linking  of Aadhaar with bank accounts.

The responsibility of implementation of the scheme is vested with  the  Government  of  concerned States/UTs.  Verification  of  Job Card is a regular exercise conducted by the concerned State/UT. To streamline  the  process  of  deletion  of  Job  cards,  Ministry  of  Rural Development has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) vide letter  dated  25.01.2025  to  all  States/Union  Territories,  with  clear guidelines  for  deletion  and  restoration  of  job  cards.  The  SOP ensures  compliance  with  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  guidelines, promotes transparency, protects the rights of workers by defining conditions for deletion, setting up a grievance redressal mechanism, and ensure the settlement of pending liabilities, if any, before deletion/cancellation. The SOP emphasizes the importance of due  process,  including  the  publication  of  draft  lists  of  job  cards marked for deletion,  verification  at  Gram  Sabhas,  and  the  right  of appeal for affected workers. These measures are aimed at preventing misuse of job cards while ensuring that genuine beneficiaries are not excluded.  The  Ministry is  committed  to maintaining  the  integrity  of  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  and  ensuring that the benefits of the scheme reach eligible rural households.

The  Ministry  continues  to  monitor  its  implementation  and takes  necessary  measures  to  address  any  challenges  faced  by workers in receiving their entitlements. As and when any issue is flagged by the State/UT or any other stakeholders, same is resolved on priority basis.

(b): Under  the  scheme,  fund  release  to  the States/UTs  is a continuous  process.   Wage  payments  are  directly  credited  by  the Central Government to the account of beneficiaries through  Direct Benefit Transfer protocol.

In the current Financial Year (as on 30.07.2025), an amount of Rs. 48,782.81 crore has been released to the States including 100% of  pending wage liabilities of FY 2024-25. As sanction for payment of wages are issued by Ministry daily through PFMS (Public Finance Management  System),  after  receipt  of  fund  transfer  orders  from States  after  following  the  due  procedures, the  fund  release  status keeps updating on a daily basis.

State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of pending liabilities for wage  component  under Scheme  as  on  30.07.2025  are  given  at

Annexure.

(c)& (d): Ministry of Rural Development  closely monitors the demand  for  employment  at  the  ground  level  and  seeks  additional funds  from  the  Ministry  of  Finance  as  and  when  required.  The release  of  funds  is  a  continuous  process,  and  the  Government  of India  remains committed to providing funds as per actual demand for  employment  under  the  scheme. During  the  current  Financial Year  (FY)  2025-26  (as  on  30.07.2025),  99.79%  of  the  eligible  rural households have been offered  employment  against  who  have demanded the  employment  under  the  scheme,  reflecting  effective implementation.

In order to upgrade the skill base of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS workers, Government of India launched 'Project UNNATI' in December 2019. By upgrading skill base of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS workers,  the  project  intends  to  improve  their  livelihoods,  so  that they  can  move  from  the  current  partial  employment  to  full-time employment through either self employment or wage employment. The  Project  aims  to  enhance  the  skill  base  of 2  lakh  Mahatma Gandhi NREGS workers. The total achievement till 31 st  March 2025 is 90,894 candidates.

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Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of LokSabhaUnstarred Question No. 2592

dated 05.08.2025.

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| State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of pending liabilities for wage component   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of pending liabilities for wage component   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of pending liabilities for wage component   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SI. No.                                                                             | States/UTs                                                                          | Pending liabilities for wage component                                              |
| 1                                                                                   | Andhra Pradesh                                                                      | 1703.07                                                                             |
| 2                                                                                   | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                   | 1.47                                                                                |
| 3                                                                                   | Assam                                                                               | 73.02                                                                               |
| 4                                                                                   | Bihar                                                                               | 907.02                                                                              |
| 5                                                                                   | Chhattisgarh                                                                        | 11.85                                                                               |
| 6                                                                                   | Goa                                                                                 | 0.39                                                                                |
| 7                                                                                   | Gujarat                                                                             | 3.88                                                                                |
| 8                                                                                   | Haryana                                                                             | 14.98                                                                               |
| 9                                                                                   | Himachal Pradesh                                                                    | 1.54                                                                                |
| 10                                                                                  | Jharkhand                                                                           | 50.49                                                                               |
| 11                                                                                  | Karnataka                                                                           | 105.72                                                                              |
| 12                                                                                  | Kerala                                                                              | 298.15                                                                              |
| 13                                                                                  | Madhya Pradesh                                                                      | 201.54                                                                              |
| 14                                                                                  | Maharashtra                                                                         | 225.58                                                                              |
| 15                                                                                  | Manipur                                                                             | 2.75                                                                                |
| 16                                                                                  | Meghalaya                                                                           | 8.19                                                                                |
| 17                                                                                  | Mizoram                                                                             | 1.45                                                                                |
| 18                                                                                  | Nagaland                                                                            | 1.04                                                                                |
| 19                                                                                  | Odisha                                                                              | 22.72                                                                               |
| 20                                                                                  | Punjab                                                                              | 78.09                                                                               |
| 21                                                                                  | Rajasthan                                                                           | 313.68                                                                              |
| 22                                                                                  | Sikkim                                                                              | 0.34                                                                                |
| 23                                                                                  | Tamil Nadu                                                                          | 301.71                                                                              |
| 24                                                                                  | Telangana                                                                           | 460.14                                                                              |
| 25                                                                                  | Tripura                                                                             | 3.44                                                                                |
| 26                                                                                  | Uttar Pradesh                                                                       | 743.40                                                                              |
| 27                                                                                  | Uttarakhand                                                                         | 3.84                                                                                |
| 28                                                                                  | West Bengal                                                                         | 3038*                                                                               |
| 29                                                                                  | Andaman & Nicobar                                                                   | 0.00                                                                                |
| 30                                                                                  | Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu                                                  | 0.00                                                                                |
| 31                                                                                  | Jammu & Kashmir                                                                     | 13.12                                                                               |
| 32                                                                                  | Ladakh                                                                              | 0.40                                                                                |
| 33                                                                                  | Lakshadweep                                                                         | 0.00                                                                                |
| 34                                                                                  | Puducherry                                                                          | 12.93                                                                               |

Note: There is no pending liability for previous years for wage component in case of any States/UTs, except in case of State of West Bengal.

*Pending  liability  in  case  of  State  of  West  Bengal  includes  wage,  material  and admin component. Release of fund to the State of West Bengal has been stopped since 9th March, 2022 as per provision of section 27 of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 due to non compliance with directives of Central Government.

*****