Shimla, Jan. 15, 2025 – Workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) in Himachal Pradesh will now have their attendance marked using face-scanning technology, ensuring greater transparency and eliminating fraudulent practices.
Under the new system, panchayat representatives will use the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) software to register attendance.
The updated version of NMMS allows for the simultaneous attendance of up to 10 workers within a 30-meter radius of the worksite. Importantly, the system uses blinking as a verification feature, ensuring only genuine workers are recorded.
Previously, attendance was marked through photographs at worksites, a process vulnerable to manipulation. Cases were reported where individuals not physically present at job sites were fraudulently marked as present. Fake entries were also linked to workers listed in muster rolls but not performing any tasks.
“This updated NMMS version resolves key issues with past attendance practices and enhances accountability in the MGNREGA scheme,” said Chandraveer Singh, Project Officer, DRDA Kangra.
The adoption of this advanced technology follows widespread reports of fraudulent practices, such as individuals marking attendance while remaining at home.
By using face-scanning features, the updated system guarantees authenticity, Singh added.
The Himachal Pradesh government views the implementation of face-reading technology as a critical step towards ensuring that benefits under the scheme reach only those who genuinely work under MGNREGA.
