57 lakh active workers yet to complete e-KYC for new rural job scheme
Over 57 lakh active workers await e-KYC verification under the new rural employment scheme, with overall registration verification at just 71%.
Two months after the nationwide rollout of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-GRAM G], the e-KYC verification rate for all registered workers stands at 71 percent. More critically, the verification rate among active workers—those who have sought employment at least once in the past three years—is 94.88 percent, leaving roughly 57 lakh individuals unverified.
The Ministry of Rural Development had earlier clarified that workers with e-KYC-verified job cards under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) would be eligible for work under the new scheme. Ahead of the launch, Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured that existing verified job cards would remain valid until new Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards are issued, ensuring uninterrupted employment access and timely wage payments.
Despite this, the Ministry has made e-KYC verification a precondition for availing work under VB-GRAM G, while allowing exceptions in a few cases. It has reiterated that no eligible worker will be left behind.
Official data as of August 9, 2026, shows that only 7.67 crore person-days were generated under VB-GRAM G in July 2026—a 49.94 percent decline compared to the 15.33 crore person-days generated under MGNREGS in July last year.
Internal communications, revealed through a Right to Information application filed by the National Campaign for People's Right to Information, show that states were first asked in January to complete e-KYC verification of all remaining active workers within a week. A second directive in February set a new deadline of end-February. Nearly seven months later, that target remains unmet.
Regional disparities are stark. Among states with the largest MGNREGS workforces, Tamil Nadu leads with 99.32 percent verification among active workers and 84.89 percent among all registered workers. Rajasthan follows at 95.66 percent and 69.45 percent, while Uttar Pradesh reports 94.21 percent and 58.89 percent. Andhra Pradesh stands at 90.4 percent and 82.32 percent. West Bengal has verified 97.3 percent of active workers and 85.49 percent of all registered workers. Bihar lags with 89.19 percent among active workers and just 58.05 percent among all registered workers.
The gap between ministerial deadlines and on-ground implementation raises concerns about whether pending verification could hinder access to work for eligible beneficiaries.