Over 15,000 fake MGNREGA job cards cancelled in Gujarat within a year
Updated: Feb 11th, 2025
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a vital scheme providing employment to rural communities, has come under scrutiny in Gujarat after large-scale fraud was exposed.
The Ministry of Rural Development recently revealed that 15,408 fake job cards were cancelled in the state during the financial year 2024-25.
This employment scheme, meant to be a lifeline for economically weaker sections, guarantees 100 days of work to physically capable individuals. However, fraudulent practices have undermined its purpose.
People allegedly created duplicate job cards to siphon off government funds, depriving genuine beneficiaries of employment.
The issue was brought up in the Lok Sabha, which prompted the Ministry to disclose that 19,016 job cards had been cancelled between 2021 and 2025, with most identified as fake or duplicate entries.
Despite strict monitoring, fraudsters continue to exploit loopholes, creating fraudulent job cards to claim wages illegally. Police complaints have been registered in some instances to curb such irregularities.
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