Gadwal: The latest social audit of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in Aiza block, Jogulamba Gadwal district, has revealed alarming irregularities, including high worker deletions, low bank account linkages, and potential financial mismanagement.

According to official reports, Aiza block has 18,311 households registered under MGNREGA, with 18,307 job cards issued and 44,747 workers registered. However, the deletion of 768 job cards and 6,227 workers has sparked concerns about employment continuity and potential irregularities in beneficiary records. Notably, certain panchayats reported disproportionately high worker deletions, including Pullikal (1,515 deletions), Boyinipalle (481 deletions), and Thothinonidoddi (457 deletions). While some deletions could be due to migration or verification processes, the scale of removals raises suspicions of systemic errors or deliberate filtering.

Adding to the concerns, 30.37% of workers remain without bank account linkages, making it difficult for them to receive wages directly through digital transfers. Panchayats such as Uppal (50.48%) and Thoomkunta (47.02%) reported the lowest levels of financial inclusion, leaving room for potential wage misappropriation.

Given the scale of these irregularities, locals urged officials to Cconduct a thorough review of deleted worker records to prevent wrongful exclusions; ensure 100% bank account linkage for all MGNREGA workers to avoid payment delays and fraud; strengthen audit and verification processes to prevent fake job cards and inflated wage claims; and improve community awareness about MGNREGA rights and transparency mechanisms.