Shillong: A resident of West Garo Hills has formally petitioned the Deputy Commissioner to investigate alleged corruption within the MGNREGA scheme. Shahidur Islam claims that the Patharkata Village Employment Council in the Demdema Block is operating with a significant surplus of registered beneficiaries compared to the local population.
Islam reports that the council lists 1,332 active job cards despite the area having only 600 registered voters. The complaint alleges that many of these accounts belong to ghost beneficiaries, specifically identifying minors and individuals suspected of living in neighboring Assam rather than within the council’s jurisdiction.
To support his claims, Islam provided authorities with a documented list of names and serial numbers linked to the disputed cards. He is calling for an independent inquiry, a mandatory social audit, and a physical verification process to confirm the identity of every cardholder.
The petition further demands that officials cancel all illegal job cards discovered during the process. Additionally, Islam has urged the government to freeze all MGNREGA payments to the Patharkata Village Employment Council until the investigation into these irregularities concludes.
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