A major irregularity has come to light under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in Kaitha village of Gangev Janpad Panchayat in Rewa district, where an RTI activist's identity was allegedly misused to show fictitious employment without any work being executed.

The case involves fabrication of muster rolls in the name of Shivanand Dwivedi, a local RTI and social activist from Kaitha, for a pond construction project on his own land that never took off. Following a detailed probe, the MGNREGA cell of the district panchayat has held the village panchayat secretary and two engineers guilty of financial irregularities.

Complaint Triggers Probe

Dwivedi had received technical approval for construction of a farm pond on his land under MGNREGA during the financial year 2023-24, with an estimated cost exceeding ₹3.85 lakh. However, when no work began despite the sanction, he approached the Chief Minister's Helpline on May 21, 2025, seeking early commencement of the project.

Instead of initiating the work, officials allegedly created fake muster rolls under job card entries bearing muster roll numbers 9296, 9298, and 9299, showing that Dwivedi himself had been provided 20 days of employment. The portal even reflected a payment of ₹42.28 credited to his account with ₹1,617.36 shown as pending.

No Evidence of Work on Ground

District MGNREGA Accounts Officer Yogendra Pandey conducted the inquiry. During the investigation, the then panchayat secretary failed to produce any supporting documents such as attendance photos, demand applications, or signed muster rolls from the worksite. Site verification confirmed that no construction activity had taken place at the location.

Shockingly, the assistant engineer and junior engineer had still processed the online evaluation and verification of the work through the e-MB (electronic Measurement Book) system, marking it as complete. The probe report described this as serious negligence and financial misconduct.

Officials Held Guilty

The 31-page investigation report submitted to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Zila Panchayat has held three officials responsible:

- Mahesh Patel, Secretary, Gram Panchayat Kaitha

- Praveen Pandey, then Junior Engineer

- Nikhil Mishra, then Assistant Engineer

The report has strongly recommended statutory and departmental action against them.

Impact on MGNREGA Implementation

This latest exposure has created ripples across Rewa’s rural development department. MGNREGA, which guarantees 100 days of wage employment to rural households, has often faced criticism in various parts of Madhya Pradesh over issues of fake job cards, ghost beneficiaries, and inflated measurements.

For Shivanand Dwivedi, the matter is particularly ironic. As an RTI activist, he has been raising questions on local governance for years. Using his name without consent for fictitious work has raised serious concerns about data security and misuse of Aadhaar-linked job cards in the scheme.

Local Reactions

Villagers in Kaitha expressed surprise over the development. Many said such irregularities erode trust in a scheme meant to provide livelihood security to the poorest. Some demanded strict action so that genuine beneficiaries do not suffer due to such scams.

What Lies Ahead

The Zila Panchayat CEO is expected to take a final call on the recommended action soon. Officials indicated that recovery of any wrongly shown payments and suspension or major penalties against the guilty officers are likely.

The case once again highlights the need for stronger ground-level monitoring, use of geo-tagging, and regular social audits in MGNREGA works to prevent recurrence of such frauds.

Rewa Collector-Employees Dispute Ends

Agreement Reached in Meeting, Staff Back After Three Days

Tension between Rewa district's new collector and employee unions has eased following a key meeting at the collectorate. Staff returned to work three days after protests halted operations, marking a quick resolution to the standoff.

Strict Style Sparks Protest

Newly appointed Collector Narendra Kumar Suryawanshi, a 2012-batch IAS officer from Betul, hit the ground running with surprise inspections and reprimands for late arrivals and lax records. Employees from zila panchayat and rural development departments accused him of rude behavior and undue pressure, leading hundreds to gather at the commissioner's office in protest. The stir lasted two full days, with demands for better conduct and no wage cuts.

Collector's Firm Stand

Sources close to the administration said Suryawanshi made it clear no leniency for negligence in public duties. Videos circulating online showed him lining up latecomers at offices, docking half-day pay and stressing punctuality by 10 am sharp. "Laxity won't be tolerated," officials quoted him as saying during checks at the district panchayat.

Meeting Seals Consensus

Late Friday, representatives from both sides sat down at the collectorate's Mohan Sabha hall for detailed talks. Misunderstandings over actions were cleared, paving the way for normalcy by Saturday morning. Employee groups noted some issues stemmed from confusion, now resolved through dialogue. All staff resumed duties without further disruption.

Political Entry in Row

The episode drew political heat, with Congress MLA Abhay Mishra from Semariya publicly backing the collector. He claimed to hold files on "corrupt employees" and vowed to hand them over if needed, calling out those unsettled by accountability drives. This support from an opposition figure added weight to the administration's push, amid whispers of pending probes into irregularities.

Work Resumes Smoothly

By early Saturday, offices buzzed with routine activity again, a relief for pending schemes like rural water projects hit by the stir. Local sources indicated the quick patch-up averted escalation, with employees committing to cooperate while urging practical handling of field issues. No major disruptions reported since.

Looking Ahead

Authorities expect smoother operations now, with Suryawanshi's hands-on approach continuing to root out delays. Employee unions have signaled willingness to work, provided dialogues stay open. The district, key in Vindhya region, eyes steady progress on development fronts without such hitches.