Congress says Modi govt ‘weaponizing’ Aadhaar and tech to deny MGNREGA workers their benefits

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MNREGA is well-documented. Yet, the Modi government was forced to turn to MGNREGS during the COVID-19 pandemic and even now due to the continuing rural distress, record numbers of workers have demanded work under MGNREGA this year," he said.

The Modi government, especially in the case of MGNREGA and soon with pensions and other social welfare benefits, has used it as a “weapon to exclude citizens from their guaranteed rights", he said. “By making them bear the brunt of its 'experiments with technology', the Modi government has hurt the incomes of the most vulnerable and the poorest of the poor." Earlier, the Modi government had ruled out any more extensions as the fourth extension ends on August 31, saying that only 18.3% active workers will become ineligible, the Congress leader said.

According to the government's own data, over 2.6 crore active workers would not have been paid their legally mandated wages from September 1, Ramesh said, adding that this number does not include the crores of workers who have had their job cards deleted due to various errors of omission and commission. The Congress has demanded that the Modi government should stop “weaponizing" Aadhaar and technology to deny MGNREGA workers their social welfare benefits and release their payments, and instead implement open muster rolls and social audits to improve transparency.