Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has mandated that all job card holders complete their eKYC (electronic Know Your Customer) verification within the next three months, failing which their cards will be canceled, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Supply Minister Rabi Narayan Naik announced on Friday.
The move comes as part of a larger crackdown on irregularities and fake job cards issued during the previous administration. Minister Naik emphasized that individuals responsible for issuing fraudulent job cards and misappropriating Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) funds under the previous regime will be held accountable. “They will have to answer for their actions,” he asserted.
Highlighting the proactive steps taken by the current government, the minister informed that 2 lakh new job cards have been issued over the past year to ensure that genuine beneficiaries are brought under the MGNREGS.
“This government is committed to transparency and accountability. We are ensuring that only eligible citizens receive employment benefits, and any misuse of public money will not be tolerated,” Naik added.
The mandatory eKYC drive is seen as a critical step toward authenticating job card holders and eliminating ghost entries in the system. Officials have already begun the process of identifying and flagging dubious entries.
The announcement has triggered fresh political debate, with the opposition likely to counter the move as a targeted attack. However, the government maintains that the action is administrative, not political, aimed solely at streamlining welfare delivery.
The three-month deadline for eKYC completion is expected to push panchayat-level officials into urgent action, as thousands of rural workers could risk losing benefits if their records are not updated in time.
