Himachal Pradesh Introduces Face-Scanning Attendance for MNREGA Workers

The Himachal Pradesh Government has rolled out an innovative change in the attendance system for workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA). Workers will now mark their attendance through face-scanning technology using the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) software, aiming to boost transparency and cut down on fraud in the scheme.

The NMMS software allows panchayat representatives to mark the attendance of up to 10 workers at once. However, attendance can only be recorded within a 30-meter radius of the designated workplace. This updated system uses advanced facial recognition technology, requiring workers to blink their eyes during the scan to ensure authenticity. If the eyes do not blink, the worker’s photo will not be uploaded in the attendance column.

This updated NMMS system was specifically launched to tackle large-scale fraud in the MNREGA scheme. By introducing these stringent measures, the government aims to enhance accountability and streamline the program’s implementation.

Officials believe that this technological intervention will significantly improve the monitoring and execution of MNREGA projects while ensuring that the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.