Tura, Meghalaya: A massive verification drive across the West Garo Hills district has exposed a shocking nexus of irregularities and systemic fraud within the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The operation, initiated under the direct orders of the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Dadenggre and diligently executed by Block Development Officer (BDO) Shri Cheman D. Shira, has brought to light a multi-crore scam plaguing the Demdema Block.
The comprehensive door-to-door verification, spearheaded by the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO), led by its General Secretary Shri Balkarin Ch. Marak and Publicity Secretary Shri Tony Tojrang B. Marak, involved a robust collaboration with various officials. The team included the Additional Programme Officer (APO), Assistant APO, Data Entry Operator (DEO), law enforcement personnel, Village Employment Council (VEC) representatives, and several dedicated grassroots organisations. The primary focus of this extensive inspection was nBangalpar and its neighbouring localities.
Crucial to the success of this joint operation were the active participants from organisations such as the Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC), GSU Chibinang Unit, NGCO Chibinang Unit, and the GFA Chibinang Unit, whose relentless efforts significantly contributed to unearthing the alarming anomalies.
The findings from this meticulous verification exercise have revealed blatant violations of MGNREGS guidelines. Multiple households were astonishingly found to possess five to seven Job Cards, all meticulously registered under various family members’ names, directly flouting the scheme’s fundamental rule of only one Job Card permitted per household. Even more concerning, numerous Job Cards were issued without the mandatory vetting or approval of the BDO, a clear and outright violation of the scheme’s operational protocols.
Adding to the shock, minors were scandalously enlisted as beneficiaries under the scheme. Furthermore, certain individuals were found to be registered multiple times under different cards, a fraudulent tactic clearly aimed at inflating job demand and manipulating wage disbursements. These glaring instances unequivocally point towards a systemic manipulation orchestrated to siphon off precious government funds meant for rural employment.
Citing the sheer magnitude and gravity of these discrepancies, CoMSO has vociferously demanded an immediate suspension of all financial disbursements under MGNREGS for the fiscal year 2024–2025. The organisation has urged that this suspension remain in effect until every single Job Card holder undergoes a thorough and stringent verification process. Additionally, CoMSO has pressed the concerned departments to ensure that only genuinely verified beneficiaries receive their pending dues, preventing further leakage of public money.
CoMSO has firmly alleged that these widespread irregularities span a significant period, from 2019 to 2025, and are indicative of a deeply entrenched multi-crore scam involving the fraudulent generation of Job Cards and inflated wage claims. A particularly striking example was documented in Charbatapara village, where the number of registered Job Card holders inexplicably surged from 949 in 2022–2023 to a staggering 1,991 in 2024–2025, raising strong and legitimate suspicions of deliberate data inflation for corrupt ends.
In its official statement, CoMSO has made an unequivocal call for an immediate and independent audit into this scandalous affair. The organisation has also demanded swift and stringent legal action against all individuals found complicit in this elaborate fraud. CoMSO underscored the paramount importance of safeguarding the sanctity and integrity of vital welfare schemes like MGNREGS through rigorous oversight and uncompromised accountability, ensuring that benefits truly reach the intended beneficiaries.