Daltonganj: Large-scale irregularities involving duplicate attendance entries and manipulated photographs have been detected under the Viksit Bharat Guarantee Rozgar Aajeevika Mission Gramin (VB-G RAM G) works in Latehar district, prompting action against officials and field-level functionaries.Deputy commissioner Sandip Kumar said the discrepancies were uncovered through the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS), the Union rural development ministry’s app-based attendance monitoring platform.District officials said that 6,709 photographs uploaded for various works were examined. Of these, 6,595 were found to be fraudulent or duplicated, while 39 remain under scrutiny. Only 75 photographs were approved for wage payments.“The principle is simple — one photograph, one labourer. If a photograph is manipulated, the authenticity of the attendance record also comes into question,” an official said.FIRs have been lodged against five mates or worksite supervisors, while dismissal proceedings have been initiated against two computer operators.Manika and Mahuadnr blocks accounted for most of the discrepancies. Officials detected 3,443 instances of duplicate attendance or photo manipulation in Manika and 2,051 in Mahuadnr.“We are trying to ascertain how irregularities on such a large scale occurred in these two blocks,” Kumar said.Officials said earthwork is restricted during monsoon and most of the suspected irregularities were detected in housing-related projects and backyard vegetable garden schemes being implemented under the mission.The district administration is assessing the financial loss caused by the alleged fraud. “The exact amount siphoned off is being calculated. Recovery proceedings will be initiated,” the DC said.Calling the alleged malpractice a serious breach of trust, Kumar said investigators had found instances in which photographs of the same labourer were used for attendance at multiple worksites. “It appears to have been a planned and conspiratorial attempt to manipulate attendance records and payments,” he said.
