Now Reading: 57 lakh active workers await e-KYC under new rural job scheme
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57 lakh active workers await e-KYC under new rural job scheme
The e-KYC verification rate of active workers under the new rural employment scheme, Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), stands at 94.88%, leaving 57 lakh workers unverified nearly seven…
The e-KYC verification rate of active workers under the new rural employment scheme, Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), stands at 94.88%, leaving 57 lakh workers unverified nearly seven months after the rollout. Among all registered workers, the rate is only 71%.
The Ministry had set deadlines in January and February 2026 for states to complete e-KYC of active workers, but these were missed, an RTI filed by the National Campaign for People's Right to Information showed. The Ministry has made e-KYC a condition for availing work under VB-G RAM G, though it has said no eligible worker will be left behind.
In July 2026, only 7.67 crore person-days were generated under VB-G RAM G, a 49.94% drop from the 15.33 crore person-days under MGNREGS in July 2025. Among large states, Tamil Nadu leads with 99.32% active worker e-KYC, while Bihar lags at 89.19%.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The 57 lakh unverified active workers represent a testing ground for the transition from MGNREGS to VB-G RAM G. Under the MGNREGS framework, job cards were valid indefinitely once issued. The new condition of e-KYC for work access effectively creates a new eligibility barrier that the old scheme did not have. Tamil Nadu's near-complete verification suggests administrative capacity, not worker reluctance, is the bottleneck. The sharp drop in person-days in July 2026 compared with a year earlier raises the question of whether workers are being turned away or are not applying because of the verification hurdle. The Ministry's next monthly employment data, due by September 9, will show whether the gap is narrowing.
Source: thehindu.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
