Nagpur: On Wednesday, the govt’s flagship scheme, MNREGA, that guaranteed right to work by providing at least 100 days of wage employment was renamed VT-G-RAM-G at the commissioner’s office in Nagpur. Sources said the change was not superficial, like the new name plate as the new scheme ensures 125 days of work with 60% expenditure to be borne by the Centre and rest by the state.A scroll with ‘Office of Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G-RAM-G) was pasted on the wooden name board of MNREGA at the Prashaskiya Emarat entrance. The office here oversaw the scheme’s implementation across Maharashtra. The attendance would now happen through a mobile app at the site through the facial recognition feature, said a source.Only those workers who have their e-KYC done would be covered in the new system. Over 93% of 87lakh active workers have completed e-KYC. Active workers are those who have taken up work under the job guarantee scheme at any point of time in the last three years, a source said. In the current year, 22.54 lakh workers have taken up jobs under the erstwhile MNREGA so far and the numbers are expected to rise in coming months. In 2025-26, as much as 61lakh workers availed the scheme, which is a 70% hike, compared to the last five years.In 2021-22, 36 lakh workers had taken up MNREGA works. The expenditure incurred on works has gone up three times since 2020-21 when it stood at 2,422 crore, to 7,887 crore in the last financial year. The current year’s expenditure stands at 1,667 crore. An interim Rs 4,400 crore has been released by the Centre, said sources.
