MP govt to introduce e-attendance of MGNREGA workers

To prevent job card and fake attendance frauds in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGS) through e-muster roll, the state government has taken a step forward to make the system full-proof and more secure.

Besides, generating job cards under the e-muster roll, workers would be required to mark their attendance at their work site electronically. Madhya Pradesh panchayat and rural development department would introduce the system of e-attendance with the help of Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate the workers.

After registering themselves under the e-muster roll for 16 days, instead of manual daily attendance, the workers would be required to report at their work sites or construction sites through e-attendance.

NREGA state nodal officer Ovais Ahmed said, "E-attendance is a step forward towards making the system more transparent and secure. After e-attendance, it would become almost impossible for elected representatives of panchayat and local coordinators to commit any fraud related to MNREGA."

Ahmed further said, "From photographs to signatures, other identities would be checked on the daily basis through e-attendance. It would be easier for officers to verify the identity of workers and their attendance at work sites in real time so scams like issuing of job cards in the name of dead people and children will not be possible. The review of work performed would also become easier."

Aruna Sharma, additional chief secretary in charge of panchayat and rural development department, said, "We are going to introduce the process of e-attendance to make the system more authentic and transparent. The trial-run of the new system has begun in some districts. On the basis of feedback from those (the districts), the new system would be introduced as a pilot project from Neemuch from March."