₹1217.05 crore unpaid wages and materials pending in MGNREGS, CAG finds

This audit examined the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Madhya Pradesh for the period from April 2019 to March 2024. It assessed planning, financial management, employment generation, works execution, and monitoring mechanisms.

Government of Madhya Pradesh, specifically the Madhya Pradesh State Employment Guarantee Council (MPSEGC) and local bodies including District, Block, and Gram Panchayats.

• Unpaid wages and material costs totaling ₹1217.05 crore as of March 31, 2024, including ₹54.79 crore in wages rejected due to Aadhaar mapping issues.
• Consistent underutilization of funds, peaking at ₹1703.80 crore in 2021-22.
• Irregular wage payments of ₹1.46 crore made on 2,426 duplicate, fake, or incorrect job cards.
• Only about 2% of households received the guaranteed 100 days of employment, while 31.21% to 46.60% received less than 40 days.
• ₹9.07 lakh in compensation for delayed wage payments remained unpaid out of a total liability of ₹35.13 lakh.
• Failure to conduct baseline surveys, prepare State-Specific IEC Plans, or set up Block Resource Centres in selected areas.
• Shortage of staff and non-appointment of dedicated Programme Officers at State, District, Block, and Gram Panchayat levels.
• Inadmissible works such as private wells dug in semi-critical or over-exploited regions.
• Recommendations include ensuring data integrity, timely filling of vacant posts, reviewing wage rates against market standards, and promoting participation of women and persons with disabilities.

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