CAG finds 48% of MGNREGS job cards unused in Karnataka

This audit examined the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the Government of Karnataka for the period from 2019-20 to 2023-24. It assessed planning, financial management, employment generation, execution of works, and monitoring mechanisms.

Government of Karnataka, specifically the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department and local Panchayat Raj Institutions implementing MGNREGS.

• Delay in release of funds by the State Government resulted in penal interest of ₹36.26 crore.
• Inadmissible expenditure of ₹32.78 crore was incurred under the administrative head of the Scheme.
• ₹35.10 crore in wage and material transactions were pending due to Aadhaar-based payment rejections.
• ₹3.29 crore in delayed wage compensation was rejected by Programme Officers on incorrect grounds.
• Aadhaar mapping was pending for 3.11 lakh workers out of 84.98 lakh active workers as of March 2024.
• Job cards were pending for 34,499 beneficiaries who had applied for jobs.
• Only 5% of households received the guaranteed 100 days of employment; the majority received only 1 to 30 days.
• Contracts for outsourcing manpower were extended unauthorisedly without fresh tenders, leading to excess service charges.
• Recruitment of contractual staff did not follow State reservation policies for women, SCs, STs, and disabled individuals.
• Vendors were hired and paid for manual labour components, denying employment opportunities to beneficiaries contrary to Scheme Guidelines.

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