"Over 40% of Gram Panchayats Don't Report Digital Attendance": Rural Development Ministry Data

According to Ministry statistics, as of February 24, only 1,58,390 of the total 2,69,637 gramme panchayats had reported NMMS usage. MGNREGS mates or supervisors are in charge of recording attendance at each worksite. Although 3,83,421 mates have registered with NMMS, only 99,687 registered devices have been used to record attendance, accounting for only 25.9%.

However, according to Ministry officials, the NMMS app is currently used to collect data at 85% of MGNREGS work sites. "NMMS is only required for community work under MGNREGS. Keeping in mind area-specific challenges such as low connectivity in hilly regions or remote areas, the District Programme Coordinator has the authority to grant exemption. As a result, nearly 10% of workplaces currently have exemptions," a senior official explained.

However, activists argue that the low usage indicates a slowdown in MGNREGS work. Workers from across the country are staging a 100-day protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar under the banner of NREGA Sangarsh Morcha. In a press conference at the protest site, activist and key architect of MGNREGS Aruna Roy said the government is using "technology as an excuse for destroying the programme".

"This is a participative law and cannot be set aside by a government diktat. It is a law that was enacted by the people. MGNREGS stands for the right to life, the right to food, and the right to survive. It's not a luxury," she explained. According to her, the Act became a reality after nearly a decade of discussion with workers, economists, opposition parties, and the government.

Every rule or change in the Act's implementation should have been done in consultation with the people, she added, but the government has not held any deliberations in the last 8 years. Sudama Devi, a worker from Muzaffarpur who has been camping at Jantar Mantar for the past week, said that NMMS has brought a new set of challenges, such as poor internet connectivity. "We don't have enough money to eat, and they want us to buy phones as well. Jio works in some places and Airtel in others, so how many sim cards do we buy," she grumbled.

MGNREGS activist Nikhil Dey stated that the government claimed it brought in NMMS to combat corruption. "Government claims that NMMS will help in better monitoring but how can the onus be put on the worker? Mates who are semi-skilled workers reliant on erratic MGNREGS wages must provide for mobile phone and Internet bills under this system. There will be no additional pay for the exercise," he explained.