Lok Sabha Question No. 3968 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-25
Subject: Social Audit of MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dr. K Sudhakar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3968 ANSWERED ON 25/03/2025

## SOCIAL AUDIT OF MGNREGS

## 3968. DR. K SUDHAKAR:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  true  that  during  the  social  audit  of  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Empoloyment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) funds a large number of misappropriations of funds were noticed, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the total number of funds found misappropriated in Karnataka along with details regarding the same;
- (c) the details of actions being taken to prevent such misappropriations of funds meant for MGNREGS; and
- (d) the  details  of  steps  taken  to  monitor  the  progress  of  works under  MGNREGS and the correct transfer of  funds  to  eligible
- beneficiaries of Karnataka?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

- (a):   As  per  Section  17  (2)  of  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment  Guarantee  Act,  2005,  the  Gram  Sabha  shall  conduct regular Social Audits of all the projects under the Scheme taken up within the Gram Panchayat.

State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of the total number of cases  reported  by  the  Social  Audit  Unit  (SAU)  and  corresponding financial  misappropriation  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  as  on 21.03.2025 are given at Annexure-I.

- (b): District-wise details of the total number of cases reported by the Social Audit Unit (SAU) and corresponding financial misappropriation in Karnataka under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 21.03.2025 are given at Annexure-II.

- (c): The issues/findings post Gram Sabha are entered/updated into the Social Audit MIS by the SAU resource persons for reporting and seeking Action Taken report from the implementing agency. As per NREGASoft, as on 21.03.2025, against the total financial misappropriation cases reported by SAU, the total recovery done by the  implementing  agency  is  Rs.  242.61  crore  for  9,58,536  cases. Transparency and accountability is the prime focus of the scheme. Ministry  of  Rural  Development  has  adopted  robust  process  for ensuring the transparency and accountability in implementation of the  scheme  across  the  States/UTs.  Brief  note  of  the  various monitoring  and  evaluation  arrangements  made  for  ensuring  the proper utilization of the funds released under the Scheme are given at Annexure-III.
- (d): The Ministry regularly reviews the performance of the implementation  of  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  (progress  of  works)  in States/UTs  through  various  fora  viz.,  Mid-Term  Review,  Labour Budget  meetings,  Labour  Budget  Revision  meetings,  Programme Review meetings. Central Employment Guarantee Council and State Employment Guarantee Councils periodically monitor implementation of the programme. State Technical Cells are constituted at various levels in the States to regularly monitor the progress of works.

Under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS,  wage  payments  are  directly credited by the Central Government to the account of beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer protocol.

*****

## Annexure-I Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  of  LokSabhaUnstarred Question No. 3968 dated 25.03.2025.

| State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of total number of cases reported by Social Audit Unit (SAU) and corresponding financial misappropriation under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 21.03.2025.   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of total number of cases reported by Social Audit Unit (SAU) and corresponding financial misappropriation under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 21.03.2025.   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of total number of cases reported by Social Audit Unit (SAU) and corresponding financial misappropriation under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 21.03.2025.   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of total number of cases reported by Social Audit Unit (SAU) and corresponding financial misappropriation under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 21.03.2025.   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SI. No.                                                                                                                                                                                          | States/UTs                                                                                                                                                                                       | Total number of cases Reported by SAU                                                                                                                                                            | Corresponding Financial Misappropriation Amount (Rs. in lakh)                                                                                                                                    |
| 1                                                                                                                                                                                                | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                   | 2,24,044                                                                                                                                                                                         | 42381.41                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 2                                                                                                                                                                                                | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                | 204                                                                                                                                                                                              | 131.28                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 3                                                                                                                                                                                                | Assam                                                                                                                                                                                            | 420                                                                                                                                                                                              | 127.95                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 4                                                                                                                                                                                                | Bihar                                                                                                                                                                                            | 11,770                                                                                                                                                                                           | 2960.87                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 5                                                                                                                                                                                                | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                                                                     | 24,554                                                                                                                                                                                           | 9537.24                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 6                                                                                                                                                                                                | Gujarat                                                                                                                                                                                          | 16                                                                                                                                                                                               | 0.82                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| 7                                                                                                                                                                                                | Haryana                                                                                                                                                                                          | 51                                                                                                                                                                                               | 10.44                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 8                                                                                                                                                                                                | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                 | 22,588                                                                                                                                                                                           | 1138.75                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 9                                                                                                                                                                                                | Jammu And Kashmir                                                                                                                                                                                | 4,396                                                                                                                                                                                            | 274.04                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 10                                                                                                                                                                                               | Jharkhand                                                                                                                                                                                        | 39,769                                                                                                                                                                                           | 8764.10                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 11                                                                                                                                                                                               | Karnataka                                                                                                                                                                                        | 1,19,549                                                                                                                                                                                         | 29714.49                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 12                                                                                                                                                                                               | Kerala                                                                                                                                                                                           | 13,298                                                                                                                                                                                           | 763.48                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 13                                                                                                                                                                                               | Ladakh                                                                                                                                                                                           | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| 14                                                                                                                                                                                               | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                   | 14,690                                                                                                                                                                                           | 2539.48                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 15                                                                                                                                                                                               | Maharashtra                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1,373                                                                                                                                                                                            | 1756.67                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 16                                                                                                                                                                                               | Manipur                                                                                                                                                                                          | 281                                                                                                                                                                                              | 35.53                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 17                                                                                                                                                                                               | Meghalaya                                                                                                                                                                                        | 90                                                                                                                                                                                               | 11.93                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 18                                                                                                                                                                                               | Mizoram                                                                                                                                                                                          | 394                                                                                                                                                                                              | 79.29                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 19                                                                                                                                                                                               | Nagaland                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1,552                                                                                                                                                                                            | 217.44                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 20                                                                                                                                                                                               | Odisha                                                                                                                                                                                           | 12,920                                                                                                                                                                                           | 1236.61                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 21                                                                                                                                                                                               | Punjab                                                                                                                                                                                           | 8,492                                                                                                                                                                                            | 5232.73                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 22                                                                                                                                                                                               | Rajasthan                                                                                                                                                                                        | 1,221                                                                                                                                                                                            | 2731.51                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 23                                                                                                                                                                                               | Sikkim                                                                                                                                                                                           | 901                                                                                                                                                                                              | 287.87                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 24                                                                                                                                                                                               | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                                                                       | 2,88,135                                                                                                                                                                                         | 30701.15                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 25                                                                                                                                                                                               | Telangana                                                                                                                                                                                        | 1,38,132                                                                                                                                                                                         | 17746.67                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 26                                                                                                                                                                                               | Tripura                                                                                                                                                                                          | 2,456                                                                                                                                                                                            | 1810.24                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 27                                                                                                                                                                                               | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                    | 20,797                                                                                                                                                                                           | 6550.85                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 28                                                                                                                                                                                               | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                                                                      | 2,979                                                                                                                                                                                            | 649.47                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 29                                                                                                                                                                                               | West Bengal                                                                                                                                                                                      | 3,464                                                                                                                                                                                            | 290.50                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Total                                                                                                                                                                                            | 9,58,536                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1,67,682.80                                                                                                                                                                                      |

As per NREGASoft

## Annexure-II

## Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (b)  of  LokSabha  Untarred Question No. 3968  dated 25.03.2025.

| District-wise details of total number of cases reported by Social Audit Unit (SAU) and corresponding financial misappropriation in Karnataka under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 21.03.2025   | District-wise details of total number of cases reported by Social Audit Unit (SAU) and corresponding financial misappropriation in Karnataka under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 21.03.2025   | District-wise details of total number of cases reported by Social Audit Unit (SAU) and corresponding financial misappropriation in Karnataka under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 21.03.2025   | District-wise details of total number of cases reported by Social Audit Unit (SAU) and corresponding financial misappropriation in Karnataka under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 21.03.2025   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SI. No.                                                                                                                                                                                    | District                                                                                                                                                                                   | Total number of cases reported by SAU                                                                                                                                                      | Corresponding Financial Misappropriation Amount (Rs. in lakh)                                                                                                                              |
| 1                                                                                                                                                                                          | Bagalkote                                                                                                                                                                                  | 4,391                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1041.15                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 2                                                                                                                                                                                          | Ballari                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1,834                                                                                                                                                                                      | 579.78                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 3                                                                                                                                                                                          | Belagavi                                                                                                                                                                                   | 9,737                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1154.38                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 4                                                                                                                                                                                          | Bengaluru                                                                                                                                                                                  | 84                                                                                                                                                                                         | 19.56                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 5                                                                                                                                                                                          | Bengaluru Rural                                                                                                                                                                            | 817                                                                                                                                                                                        | 59.99                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 6                                                                                                                                                                                          | Bidar                                                                                                                                                                                      | 6,482                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1324.25                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 7                                                                                                                                                                                          | ChamarajaNagara                                                                                                                                                                            | 3,198                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1497.98                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 8                                                                                                                                                                                          | Chikkaballapura                                                                                                                                                                            | 3,599                                                                                                                                                                                      | 773.34                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 9                                                                                                                                                                                          | Chikkamagaluru                                                                                                                                                                             | 7,485                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1452.00                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 10                                                                                                                                                                                         | Chitradurga                                                                                                                                                                                | 4,628                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1762.24                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 11                                                                                                                                                                                         | Dakshina Kannada                                                                                                                                                                           | 2,765                                                                                                                                                                                      | 486.13                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 12                                                                                                                                                                                         | Davanagere                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1,597                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1243.38                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 13                                                                                                                                                                                         | Dharwar                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1,771                                                                                                                                                                                      | 532.28                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 14                                                                                                                                                                                         | Gadag                                                                                                                                                                                      | 9,934                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1954.54                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 15                                                                                                                                                                                         | Hassan                                                                                                                                                                                     | 2,109                                                                                                                                                                                      | 356.01                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 16                                                                                                                                                                                         | Haveri                                                                                                                                                                                     | 3,799                                                                                                                                                                                      | 608.08                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 17                                                                                                                                                                                         | Kalaburagi                                                                                                                                                                                 | 8,197                                                                                                                                                                                      | 2204.08                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 18                                                                                                                                                                                         | Kodagu                                                                                                                                                                                     | 258                                                                                                                                                                                        | 64.23                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 19                                                                                                                                                                                         | Kolar                                                                                                                                                                                      | 3,431                                                                                                                                                                                      | 901.54                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 20                                                                                                                                                                                         | Koppal                                                                                                                                                                                     | 2,465                                                                                                                                                                                      | 863.36                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 21                                                                                                                                                                                         | Mandya                                                                                                                                                                                     | 4,410                                                                                                                                                                                      | 753.83                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 22                                                                                                                                                                                         | Mysuru                                                                                                                                                                                     | 6,382                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1024.77                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 23                                                                                                                                                                                         | Raichur                                                                                                                                                                                    | 4,882                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1262.35                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 24                                                                                                                                                                                         | Ramanagara                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4,371                                                                                                                                                                                      | 3101.57                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 25                                                                                                                                                                                         | Shivamogga                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2,105                                                                                                                                                                                      | 185.29                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 26                                                                                                                                                                                         | Tumakuru                                                                                                                                                                                   | 5,823                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1224.61                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 27                                                                                                                                                                                         | Udupi                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1,392                                                                                                                                                                                      | 128.59                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 28                                                                                                                                                                                         | Uttara Kannada                                                                                                                                                                             | 1,145                                                                                                                                                                                      | 296.76                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 29                                                                                                                                                                                         | Vijayanagara                                                                                                                                                                               | 4,330                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1192.08                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 30                                                                                                                                                                                         | Vijaypura                                                                                                                                                                                  | 3,086                                                                                                                                                                                      | 820.56                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 31                                                                                                                                                                                         | Yadgir                                                                                                                                                                                     | 3,042                                                                                                                                                                                      | 845.79                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|                                                                                                                                                                                            | Total                                                                                                                                                                                      | 119549                                                                                                                                                                                     | 29714.49                                                                                                                                                                                   |

As per NREGASoft

## Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (c)  of  LokSabhaUnstarred Question No. 3968 dated 25.03.2025

- i. Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT):  Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT) system  in  wage  payment  has  been  adopted  under  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS).  The  payment  of  wages  to  the  bank/  post  office accounts  of  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  workers  is  through National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS)/Electronic Fund Management System (eFMS).
- ii. National Mobile Monitoring Service (NMMS): It enables capturing of attendance of workers  at  Mahatma  Gandhi NREGA  worksites  (except  for  individual  beneficiary  works) along  with  geo-tagged  photograph  twice  in  a  day.  This  app aids in increasing citizen oversight of the programme. This is one more step towards transparency and accountability.
- iii. Area Officer Monitoring Visit Application:  This App facilitates the officials of the State/UT to record their field visit findings online.  The  App  also  allows  the  officials  to  record  time stamped  and  geotagged  photograph  for  all  the  schemes launched by Department of Rural Development. Also, this App helps  in  developing  hassle-free  reporting  of  the  field  visits. This  app  records  the  field  visit  findings  and  views  the  field visit outcome report by the senior officials.
4. GIS based plan- Use of Space Technology: GIS based GP level plan  (ridge  to  valley  approach)  preparation  using  Remote Sensing technology in a saturation mode for all the GPs of the
- iv. country.
- v. Yuktdhara :  GIS based planning tool - To simplify the GIS based planning at GP level under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA ' Yuktdhara' a Geospatial planning portal is developed in
7. collaboration with ISRO-NRSC.
- vi. SECURE  -  Software  for  Estimate  Calculation  for  using  Rural Rates for Employment :-Application is being used for estimate the calculation of works to be undertaken under the scheme.
- vii. GeoNREGA:  the  app  has  been  developed  by  using  Space Technology to track the creation of assets by geotagging it, at 'Before', 'During' and 'After' stages of the asset creation.
10. viii.
11. JALDOOT  App:  JALDOOT  app  has  been  developed  to  enable monitoring  of  ground  water  tables  across  the  country.  The

Jaldoot  app  enables  Gram  RojgarSahayak  (GRS)  to  measure the water level of selected wells twice a year (premonsoonand post-monsoon).

- ix. JANMANREGA app: this app  helps  in  proactive  disclosure  of information to its citizens in reference to the implementation of  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS.  Citizen  awareness  is  a  key  to efficient, effective, and transparent execution of the scheme.
- x. Ombudsperson App-An Ombudsperson App has been developed for smooth reporting and categorization of grievances received from  various  sources  viz.  physical,  digital  and  mass  media related to the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, easy tracking and timely passing of awards on each case as per the guidelines and easy uploading of quarterly and annual report on the website.
- xi. Social Audits: As per the mandate of the Act, the Ministry has laid emphasis on the setting up of an institutional structure at the  States/UTs  level  for  facilitating  social  audits  of  all  the Gram  Panchayats  at  least  twice  a  year.  With  the  consistent efforts  by  Ministry,  a  total  of  27  States  and  1  UT  have established Independent Social Audit Units.

Further,  monitoring  by  National  level  monitors  regular  and  special monitoring, monitoring by teams of central level officers, monitoring visits by Common review Mission teams, monitoring through use of Area Officers app is being conducted for better implementation of the programme. Also, State specific reviews of States are undertaken from time to time.

*****