The latest social audit of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in Aiza block, Jogulamba Gadwal district, has uncovered serious issues. These include a high number of worker deletions, low bank account linkages, and possible financial mismanagement.
According to official reports, Aiza block has 18,311 households registered under MGNREGA, with 18,307 job cards issued and 44,747 workers enrolled. However, a total of 768 job cards and 6,227 workers were deleted, raising concerns about employment continuity. Some villages reported particularly high deletions, such as Pullikal (1,515 deletions), Boyinipalle (481 deletions), and Thothinonidoddi (457 deletions). While some removals could be due to migration or verification checks, the large numbers suggest possible errors or intentional filtering of beneficiaries.
Another major issue is that 30.37% of workers do not have their bank accounts linked to the scheme. Without this linkage, they cannot receive wages directly into their accounts through digital transfers. The worst-affected areas include Uppal (50.48% without links) and Thoomkunta (47.02% without links), increasing the risk of wage mismanagement.
Due to these irregularities, residents are calling for immediate action. They urge officials to thoroughly review deleted worker records to prevent wrongful removals, ensure all workers have bank account linkages to avoid payment delays, and strengthen audit processes to detect fake job cards and inflated wage claims. Additionally, they emphasize the need to raise awareness among workers about their rights and transparency measures under MGNREGA.
