Massive MGNREGS scam uncovered in Meghalaya’s Demdema block, CoMSO leads verification drive

A large-scale verification drive conducted across the West Garo Hills district has exposed serious irregularities in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The operation, initiated under the directive of the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Dadenggre and executed by the Block Development Officer (BDO) Shri Cheman D. Shira, uncovered systemic fraud in Demdema Block.

The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO), led by its General Secretary Shri Balkarin Ch. Marak and Publicity Secretary Shri Tony Tojrang B. Marak, spearheaded the door-to-door verification initiative. The inspection, conducted in collaboration with officials including the Additional Programme Officer (APO), Assistant APO, Data Entry Operator (DEO), law enforcement personnel, Village Employment Council (VEC) representatives, and grassroots organizations, focused primarily on nBangalpar and surrounding areas.

Organizations involved in the joint operation included the Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC), GSU Chibinang Unit, NGCO Chibinang Unit, and the GFA Chibinang Unit. Their active participation significantly contributed to the uncovering of alarming anomalies.

Findings from the verification exercise revealed that multiple households were found to possess five to seven Job Cards, all registered under various family members’ names. As per MGNREGS guidelines, only one Job Card is permitted per household. In several cases, Job Cards were issued without the mandatory vetting or approval of the BDO—an outright violation of the scheme’s operational protocols.

Further, minors were shockingly enlisted as beneficiaries under the scheme, while certain individuals were registered multiple times under different cards to fraudulently inflate job demand and wages. These instances point to systematic manipulation aimed at siphoning off government funds.

Citing the magnitude of the discrepancies, CoMSO has demanded an immediate suspension of all financial disbursements under MGNREGS for the fiscal year 2024–2025 until every Job Card holder is thoroughly verified. The organization has urged the concerned departments to ensure that only verified beneficiaries receive pending dues.

CoMSO alleges that the irregularities span from 2019 to 2025 and amount to a multi-crore scam involving fraudulent Job Card generation and wage claims. A striking example was documented in Charbatapara village, where the number of registered Job Card holders jumped from 949 in 2022–2023 to 1,991 in 2024–2025—raising strong suspicions of data inflation for corrupt ends.

In its official statement, CoMSO called for an immediate and independent audit into the scandal and legal action against all those found complicit. The organisation emphasized that the sanctity of welfare schemes like MGNREGS must be safeguarded through strict oversight and accountability.