Scheme converted into 'Viksit Bharat Ji Ram Ji' effective July 1 as centre promises wider employment opportunities.

Over 8 Lakh MGNREGA Job Cards Cancelled, 14 Lakh Workers Removed from Scheme Between 2021-2026. Over eight lakh MGNREGA job cards have been cancelled in Punjab between 2021 and 2026, resulting in 14 lakh MGNREGA workers being removed from the scheme. The scheme has been converted into 'Viksit Bharat Ji Ram Ji' effective July 1. The central government has stated that the new scheme will widen employment opportunities, but between 2021 and 2026, eight lakh job cards were deleted in Punjab.

Data presented by the Union Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj

According to figures presented by the Union Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj during Parliament's Monsoon Session, more than 14 lakh workers and over eight lakh MGNREGA job cards have been cancelled in Punjab over the past five years as part of a drive to remove ineligible beneficiaries from the list. As per the details, a total of 14.05 lakh workers were removed from the database during 2021-2026. In Punjab, 8.04 lakh ineligible job cards have been cancelled. The central government carried out this action during periodic verification conducted to check irregularities in beneficiary records.

Demand for Employment Falls from 6.46 Lakh to 3.02 Lakh Families

The number of families demanding employment under MGNREGA fell from 6.46 lakh families in 2025-26 to 3.02 lakh in 2026-27. Panchayat department officials attribute this decline to several factors, including the removal of fake job cards, deletion of names of deceased beneficiaries, beneficiaries voluntarily opting out after securing regular employment, and the cancellation of cards that had remained inactive for a long period.