Overview

• On July 8, the Union Ministry of Rural Development officially acknowledged persistent operational challenges with the NMMS app introduced in May 2022 for digital attendance under MGNREGA.
• Congress leader Jairam Ramesh denounced the app as “unworkable and counterproductive” and urged its immediate withdrawal.
• Persistent connectivity issues at remote rural worksites have prevented legitimate labourers from uploading required photos, excluding them from payment rolls.
• The photo-based system has failed to curb fraud, allowing individuals to collect wages without performing any actual work.
• The Congress and a parliamentary committee demand the app be scrapped and MGNREGA overhauled with task-based records, ₹400 daily wages, optional Aadhaar payments and guaranteed disbursement within 15 days.