Over 3.6 Lakh MGNREGS Job Cards Deleted in J&K and Ladakh During Verification Drives

New Delhi | December 10, 2025

The Union Ministry of Rural Development has informed the Lok Sabha that more than 3.6 lakh MGNREGS job cards were deleted in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh between the financial years 2019–20 and 2024–25 as part of routine verification exercises aimed at ensuring transparency and accuracy in the rural employment scheme.

According to official data presented in Parliament, Jammu and Kashmir accounted for 3,06,271 job card deletions, while Ladakh recorded 5,670 deletions during the same period. The yearly deletion figures in Jammu and Kashmir ranged from 33,032 in 2019–20 to a peak of 73,015 in 2023–24.

Nearly 80,000 Workers Removed in One-Month Verification Drive

The Ministry further revealed that during a targeted one-month verification drive conducted from October 10 to November 14, 2025, a total of 79,674 MGNREGS workers were removed from official rolls. Of these, 79,070 workers were from Jammu & Kashmir, while 604 workers were removed in Ladakh.

Clarifying the reasons behind these deletions, the Ministry stated that the exercise was carried out to remove fake, duplicate or incorrect entries, as well as job cards linked to families that had permanently migrated or cases where the sole job card holder had passed away.

No Link with Aadhaar or NMMS, Says Ministry

The government categorically clarified that these deletions were not linked to the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) or Aadhaar-based payment mechanisms, countering concerns raised by various stakeholders regarding possible exclusion due to digital systems.

Safeguards Introduced to Protect Genuine Beneficiaries

Emphasizing the importance of protecting eligible workers—especially women, who form a significant portion of the rural workforce under MGNREGS—the Ministry urged all states and Union Territories to ensure that no rightful beneficiary is wrongly removed.

To strengthen safeguards, the Ministry has also issued a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The SOP mandates:

Public display of proposed deletion lists Verification through Gram Sabhas Provision for appeals Aadhaar-linked checks, where required

These measures aim to enhance transparency, accountability, and fairness while ensuring that genuine beneficiaries continue to receive employment under MGNREGS.