New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) There will soon be biometric attendance for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) workers to bring in more transparency and reduce irregularities, parliament was informed Tuesday.
‘The use of biometrics is contemplated to bring greater accountability and transparency in implementation of MGNREGA and reduce irregularities and complaints relating to false entries in muster rolls, ghosts and bogus workers,’ Minister of State for Rural Development Pradeep Jain said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.
He added that in order to ensure timely payment, the act has been amended to make wage disbursement through institutional accounts in banks or post offices.
‘It has been decided that state governments will roll out the business correspondent model to make wage payments through banks with biometric authentication at the village level,’ added the minister.
However, no time limit has been fixed for introducing the biometric system, he said.