The Ministry of Rural Development today announced that approximately 88% of wage payments to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) beneficiaries in May were processed using the Aadhaar-based payment system until May 2023.
According to the data from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) reveals that the success rate of Aadhaar-enabled Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) stands at 99.55% or higher. In contrast, the success rate for account-based payments is approximately 98%.
"In consultation with different stakeholders, it is found ABPS (Aadhaar-based payment system) is the best route for making wage payment through DBT (direct benefit transfer)," the Ministry of Rural Development said in the release. "It will help the beneficiaries in getting their wage payment on time."
the release said, under the rural employment guarantee scheme, the Aadhaar-based payment system has been in use since 2017. "Out of the total 143 mln active beneficiaries, the Aadhaar has been seeded for 138 mln," States have been requested to organise camps and follow up with beneficiaries to achieve a 100% Aadhaar-based payment system.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme has not adopted Aadhaar-enabled payments. It has opted for the Aadhaar-based payment bridge system, said in the release.
