Yadgir, 8 April

A scam has been uncovered in Maldar, Yadgir district, where men disguised as women to fraudulently claim wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA). The incident, involving fake records created for nala desilting work worth Rs 3 lakh, came to light after photos showing men in sarees went viral on social media on Monday.

Zilla Panchayat CEO Lavesh Oradiya confirmed that the allegations were true, with four men using women’s names to manipulate MGNREGA funds. He told Salar News that action had already been taken in February based on complaints, and BFT (Barefoot Technician) Viresh, a contract worker, was suspended. Oradiya also clarified that no MGNREGA funds related to this work had been released.

The scam was further exposed when fake attendance photos were uploaded via the National Mobile Monitoring Software (NMMS) app to falsely generate wage bills. The officials responsible for uploading the attendance were involved in manipulating records.

Meanwhile, Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer Ramappa Doddmani urged labourers to utilize NREGA opportunities to prevent migration during the summer. He also announced an increase in NREGA wages from Rs 349 to Rs 370 for FY 2025–26.