₹1217.05 crore unpaid wages liability 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.
• ₹54.79 crore in wage liabilities attributable to non-mapping of beneficiary accounts with Aadhaar.
• 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 around 2% of households received the guaranteed 100 days of employment.
• 31.21% to 46.60% of households received less than 40 days of employment.
• ₹9.07 lakh in compensation for delayed wage payments remained unpaid out of ₹35.13 lakh due.
• Mandatory 33% participation of women was not achieved in three districts, seven Janpad Panchayats, and 16 Gram Panchayats.
• Recommendations include ensuring data integrity, sanitizing databases for Aadhaar-based payments, timely clearance of pending compensation, and reviewing wage rates against market standards.

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