Scroll’s January 2024 investigation in Palghar district, Maharashtra, documented workers who said Aadhaar-based payment requirements, record problems and delayed wages made it harder to rely on MGNREGA during lean agricultural periods. Some residents had left their villages or were considering leaving to find work. The reporting describes serious local experiences, but it does not prove that Aadhaar rules alone caused migration across Palghar or Maharashtra.
What Scroll reported in Palghar
MGNREGA is a rural wage-employment scheme. Scroll’s report describes the Act as providing a rural household that demands work a minimum of 100 days of employment a year. In the villages covered by the investigation, Adivasi workers said they relied on the scheme when agricultural work was scarce.
The investigation described workers struggling with payment-linking steps, names missing from local scheme records or muster rolls, and wages that had not arrived. One worker told Scroll that he was owed 42 days of wages. Residents also described leaving, or considering leaving, to seek construction and other work. These are individual accounts and observations from the reporting period, not a representative survey or a current count of affected households.
Workers and local functionaries quoted by Scroll described paperwork, technical difficulties and bank-mapping problems. The report included cases in which Aadhaar was said to be linked to the wrong bank account. It does not establish that every delayed or failed payment had the same cause.
#1 Best Overall
- MFS110 L1 USB Fingerprint Scanner
- Support Window, Android and Lenux
- 1 Year RD Service Registration included from mantra
- USB with Type C connector available for using in Type C supporting devices
- Scratch free Sensor Surface,Auto Finger Detection
“It is not like we don’t want to link our Aadhaar. We tried and were unable to,” worker Raghunath Masra told Scroll. Resident Maini Tadpade said: “If the government provides us work, no one has to leave the village.” The remarks convey the stakes for those residents; they should not be read as evidence that all workers in the district had the same experience.
Why an Aadhaar card alone may not complete the payment chain
Aadhaar-based payment involves several records and systems. The process described in Scroll’s investigation and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s (CAG) performance audit distinguishes Aadhaar seeding from NPCI mapping: having an Aadhaar card, or linking it to a bank account, does not by itself establish that every required scheme and payment record is in place.
Rank #2
- SmartQ C368 USB 3.0 Card Reader: Four-in-one design, supports Micro SD/SD/MS/CF cards, and reads data independently; ideal for plug and play mobile use during travel.
- High data transfer speed: Supports data transfer speed up to 5GB per second (at USB 3.0 speed), compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 multi-card readers for CF and MicroSD cards.
- Multi-system compatibility: Compatible with Windows/Mac OS/Linux and other systems, no driver needed, enjoy a plug and play experience.
- Working status: Blue LED light indicator, the indicator LED lights up when powered on, the device status is clearly visible.
- In the Box: SmartQ C368 USB 3.0 Card Reader (memory card not included), Cable organizer, User manual.
- Job-card linkage: Aadhaar must be linked to the worker’s job-card details, as described in the reporting.
- Scheme-record entry: The relevant information must be entered in the scheme’s records. Scroll reported cases in which workers’ names were missing from local records or muster rolls.
- Bank and NPCI mapping: The bank must map the Aadhaar in the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) system for Aadhaar-based payment. The CAG treats seeding and NPCI mapping as separate stages.
- Payment processing: Even when mapping is recorded as complete, an individual wage transaction can still be rejected or remain pending. Mapping coverage is not the same measure as a wage successfully reaching a worker.
The distinction matters because a payment problem can arise at different points in the chain. The Palghar accounts do not establish one universal fix or a single cause for every unpaid wage.
What the dated figures show—and what they do not
The published figures describe different populations, dates and stages of the process. They should not be treated as a single trend line or as a current count of workers who cannot receive wages.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- Fully Compliant - Complies With All Major Industry Standards, Including Iso/Iec 7816, Usb Ccid, Pc/Sc, And Microsoft Whql. As Well As, Emv 2011 Ver 4.3 Level 1 And Gsa Fips 201.
- Seamless Integration - With Identiv-Specific Smartos You’Ll Get Easy, Complete Support Of All Major Contact Smart Card Ics And Technologies In One Simple Reader.
- Universal Compatibility - Works With Virtually All Contact Chip Cards And Pc Operating Systems, Including Windows, Macos, Linux And Android.
- Fast And Convenient- Shorten Your Transaction Time With A Reader That’S Optimized For Speed. It’S Ultra-Compact And Robust Design Is Streamlined For Mobile Operation, Making This Reader The Best Choice For Convenience, Security And Reliability.
- Ergonomic and cost efficient design
| Source and date | Population and measure | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| LibTech India data through January 13, 2024, reported by Scroll | Registered workers in Palghar who had not linked to the Aadhaar-based payment system | 4.4 lakh of about 7 lakh registered workers |
| CAG audit using NREGASoft data downloaded in October 2024 | Active workers in Palghar with NPCI mapping completed | 90.70% of 247,783 active workers |
| CAG audit using NREGASoft data downloaded in October 2024 | Active workers across Maharashtra with NPCI mapping completed | 91.64% |
| CAG audit, statewide status as of September 2025 | Active workers in Maharashtra with Aadhaar seeding completed | 99.33% |
| CAG audit, statewide status as of September 2025 | Active workers in Maharashtra with NPCI mapping completed | 96.43% |
| Ministry of Rural Development statement released March 18, 2025; eligibility snapshot dated March 12, 2025 | All Maharashtra workers listed in the table who were not eligible for APBS; the table counted 29,734,310 total workers | 63.97% |
| Ministry of Rural Development statement released March 18, 2025; eligibility snapshot dated March 12, 2025 | Active Maharashtra workers listed in the table who were not eligible for APBS; the table counted 7,943,428 active workers | 6.08% |
The January 2024 Scroll figure concerns registered Palghar workers and linkage to the payment system. The October 2024 CAG figures concern active workers and completed NPCI mapping. The March 2025 Ministry percentages concern APBS eligibility, and the “all workers” and “active workers” denominators are different. None of these measures, by itself, says whether a particular wage was paid on time.
The CAG also reported 250,537 rejected wage transactions totalling ₹3,667.79 lakh for 2019–20 through 2023–24 in its October 2024 NREGASoft data. These are Maharashtra-wide figures, not Palghar totals; the audit table includes transactions pending regeneration and pending bank response. The audit cited problems including wrong, closed, blocked or frozen accounts among reasons for rejection. Its findings show why a high mapping percentage cannot be equated with universal payment success.
Rank #4
- INTEGRATED DESIGN - The integrated-designed BENFEI USB-C/USB 3.0 card reader provide high data speed access to four different card types, the SD(Secure Digital), Micro SD(TF), MS(Memory Stick) and CF(Compact Flash). And with 2in1 USB-C/USB 3.0 design, BENFEI card reader could works with computer or laptop by USB 3.0/2.0 slot or the latest USB Type-C(Thunderbolt 3) slot. A universal card reader solution.
- INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE - With latest USB Type-C or the USB 3.0 port, fully enjoy the transfer rates in UHS-I mode up to 160MB/sec, backward Compatible with USB 2.0/1.1. Browse and view photos instantly on your USB-C/USB3.0 smartphones/laptops. (NOTE: The final data speed is decided by the card and USB slot Type )
- SUPERIOR STABILITY - Built-in advanced IC chip handle the USB-C/USB high speed data transfer signal, allow HD movies trasfer in just seconds. ✅ It is a simultaneously card reader and can read 4 card at the same moment
- BROAD COMPATIBILITY - Compatible with MacBook Pro 2019/2018/2017/2016, MacBook 2017/2016/2015, iPad Pro 2018, Surface Book 2, Samsung Galaxy S10/S9/S8/Note 8/Note 9, HTC U11/U12, Pixelbook, Dell XPS 15 / XPS 13, Galaxy Book, and many other USB-C Devices. NOTE: SDXC cards (capacity at 64GB or larger) use a special file format "exFAT", which is not supported in Windows XP, Windows Vista before SP1, and Mac OS X before 10.6.6). ❗ Incompatible with Memory Stick (Standard)，Memory Stick Micro (M2) and CF Type I
- 18 MONTH WARRANTY - Exclusive BENFEI Unconditional 18-month Warranty ensures long-time satisfaction of your purchase; Friendly and easy-to-reach customer service to solve your problems timely.
Formal entitlement and practical access are different questions
In a March 18, 2025 Press Information Bureau release, the Ministry of Rural Development said APBS is a mode of payment and that work demand cannot be denied because an account is not linked with APBS. The Ministry also said rural households can register and seek employment through multiple forums, including Gram Panchayats.
“Under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS) is merely a mode of payment, and the demand for work cannot be denied due to non-linking of account number with APBS.”
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.Best Value
ZOWEETEK CAC Card Reader Military, USB Smart Card Reader for Windows Mac
- Advanced Realtek Chipset; PIV, EMS, ISO-7816 & EMV2 2000 Level 1, CE, FCC, VCCI and Microsoft WHQL certifications.
- Supports ActivClient, AKO, OWA, DKO, JKO, NKO, BOL, GKO, Marinenet, AF Portal, Pure Edge Viewer, ApproveIt, DCO, DTS, LPS, Disa Enterprise Email and etc. CAC chip cards
- Sleek ergonomic flat design, precise slot, convenient to horizontally plug card
- Compatible with Windows10/11, Mac OS 10.15 or later. Driver free, plug and play.
- New generation DOD Military CAC USB smart chip card reader, no firmware upgrade requirements
This is the Ministry’s stated policy position; it does not establish that every worker could obtain work in practice or that every local case was resolved. Scroll’s investigation documented workers describing barriers despite their efforts to complete the payment process. Formal work-demand rights and practical access should therefore be considered separately.
What the reporting can—and cannot—establish about migration
Scroll documented residents who had migrated or were thinking about leaving in search of work, alongside testimony about missing records, payment-linking difficulties and delayed wages. That is evidence of the experiences reported in the villages, not a measured causal study. The sources cited here do not quantify how many Palghar households migrated because of APBS problems, establish a district-wide causal effect, or measure effects on nutrition or children’s access to anganwadi services.
The investigation reported concern that family migration could disrupt children’s access to local anganwadi support, but the cited material does not measure that outcome. Likewise, the ₹273 daily wage mentioned in Scroll’s historical account belongs to that reporting period and should not be treated as a current Palghar rate.
Quick Recap
Sources and scope
- Scroll Staff, “How Aadhaar is strangling MGNREGA in a Maharashtra district and pushing workers to migrate,” January 2024: local reporting and attributed worker, activist and official accounts.
- Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Report No. 7 of 2025, Maharashtra MGNREGS performance audit, Chapter IV: October 2024 NREGASoft data and later statewide status reported through September 2025.
- Ministry of Rural Development, “Aadhaar Based Payment System,” Press Information Bureau, March 18, 2025: Ministry position and APBS eligibility snapshot dated March 12, 2025.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors
