14 lakh MGNREGA workers drop off rolls in six weeks during e-KYC push in Andhra Pradesh, says report

Andhra Pradesh saw a significant short-term decline in its MGNREGA workforce during the Aadhaar-based e-KYC drive conducted in October and November this year, according to a new analysis by LibTech India, a research-driven non-profit organisation that works to improve transparency, accountability and effectiveness in public-service delivery.

The report estimates that the State accounted for nearly 60% of all worker reductions nationally during this period.

Between October 8 and November 19, 2025, the number of registered workers fell from 124.7 lakh to 110.5 lakh, an 11.4% decrease. Active workers also dropped by 6.2 lakh. Districts such as Annamayya, Kakinada, Tirupati, East Godavari and West Godavari registered sharper declines.

While the participation base in MGNREGA often changes across seasons, the report notes that a reduction of this magnitude in a six-week window is unusual and corresponds with the mandatory e-KYC timeline.

At the same time, Andhra Pradesh has achieved the highest e-KYC completion rate in India, about 79% among all workers and 86% among active workers, a performance the report describes as commendable, given the size of the programme and the logistical challenges involved.

The analysis observes, however, that the State’s high completion rate sits alongside its large share of national reductions, suggesting a complex interaction between administrative timelines, field conditions and worker mobility.

Field functionaries, the report said, were working with stringent deadlines and daily monitoring requirements, often dealing with connectivity gaps, biometric authentication failures, Aadhaar photograph mismatches and errors in the NMMS attendance application.

A substantial proportion of rural workers migrate seasonally for farm and non-farm labour, making it difficult for officials to reach them in time for e-KYC completion, said the report, adding that in several such cases, workers who could not be contacted or assisted within the short window, appear to have been removed from the Management Information System (MIS), rather than being given additional time or support.

“There are also concerns about procedural safeguards,” said Naveen Kumar Gajjalagari,  a researcher from LibTech India and cited the Union Rural Development Ministry’s January 2025 SOP that requires draft deletion lists to be prepared and publicly displayed at Panchayats, reviewed in Grama Sabhas and shared with workers before any deletion is finalised.

“Our field studies did not find evidence of these steps being consistently followed and that panchayats, which are responsible for verification, were not fully involved in the process,” said Mr. Naveen Kumar.

Pointing to the report that also draws parallels with earlier Aadhaar-linked transitions, noting previous episodes of large-scale removals in the State in 2022-23, he said these recurring patterns suggest a gap between rapid verification drives and the on-ground realities of workers who may face barriers in completing biometric processes or may be away on migration during the verification period.

LibTech India has recommended that the government consider pausing mandatory e-KYC and NMMS requirements until safeguards are strengthened.

It has suggested a reinstatement campaign through public display of deletion lists at gram panchayats, restoration of workers removed without due process and renewed consultations with workers and civil society through participatory models used in earlier years.