With the Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS) now mandatory for payment of wages to NREGS workers, the Government on Monday said it may consider exemptions on a “case-by-case basis” should any gram panchayat face “technical issues”.
The announcement by the Rural Development Ministry came hours after the Congress attacked the Government, calling the ABPS Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “cruel New Year gift to exclude crores of the poorest and marginalised Indians from earning a basic income”.
Under ABPS, workers’ 12-digit Aadhaar numbers are linked with their job cards as well as their bank accounts. The system was first made mandatory with effect from February 1, 2023 but, through several extensions, the Centre allowed until December 31, 2023 the mixed route — of ABPS and NACH, an interbank system used for bulk payments such as subsidies and salaries.
With no extension granted to states beyond December 31, the ABPS became mandatory from January 1, 2024.
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“The Government of India has decided to make the wage payment of unskilled workers through APBS to ensure the payment of beneficiaries into their bank accounts, even in case of frequent change of bank account by the beneficiary,” the Ministry said in a statement.
“In case, if any gram panchayat of a district in the state is having either technical problem or Aadhaar-related problem, the Government of India may consider exemption from APBS on case-by-case basis till the resolution of the issue,” it added.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the government of “weaponising technology, especially Aadhaar”.
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“Indian National Congress condemns the Prime Minister’s cruel New Year gift to exclude crores of the poorest and marginalised Indians from earning a basic income through public works under MGNREGA,” Ramesh said in a post on X.
“Congress also reiterates its demands from 30th August, 2023 that the Modi government should stop weaponizing technology, especially Aadhaar, to deny the most vulnerable Indians their social welfare benefits, release delayed wage payments and implement open muster rolls and social audits to improve transparency,” he wrote.
