Daijiworld Media Network- Bagalkot

Bagalkot, Jun 21: In a shocking case of misuse of government welfare schemes, blatant irregularities have surfaced within multiple Grama Panchayats in Bagalkot district, where one man allegedly posed wearing a saree under the name ‘Mangalamma Aari’ to claim wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The incident occurred within the limits of Chikanal Grama Panchayat in Ilakal Taluk, where the man dressed in female attire reportedly posed for a photograph claiming to have worked on block plantation activities. The fraudulent image was then uploaded as proof of labour under the MGNREGA scheme.

The scandal doesn’t end there. The same photograph has reportedly been used multiple times across different Grama Panchayats and even different taluks, to generate payments for unrelated works, raising serious concerns about widespread manipulation of the rural employment records.

The Hungund Panchayat Raj department has come under scrutiny for allegedly employing MGNREGA workers for Anganwadi construction work — a violation of the norms, as NREGA funds are strictly meant for approved rural development activities and not for public infrastructure projects managed by other departments.

As per reports, the same photograph has been suspiciously uploaded for the following Anganwadi construction projects:

•    Anganwadi Building 3, Ganjihal Grama Panchayat

•    Anganwadi Building 2, Binjawadagi Grama Panchayat

•    Anganwadi Building, Ramwadagi Grama Panchayat

•    ST Anganwadi Building, Chinnapur village, Ilakal Taluk

What is particularly alarming is that these villages — Ganjihal, Binjawadagi, Ramwadagi, and Chinnapur ST — belong to different taluks, yet the same image has been fraudulently used under different labour names to claim wage payments.

Under MGNREGA guidelines, employment provided must be within the jurisdiction of the worker’s own Grama Panchayat. The unauthorised use of the same labour photo across different regions not only violates these rules but also suggests a deliberate attempt to siphon off government funds meant for genuine rural employment.

Locals and activists have demanded a high-level investigation into the matter, urging district authorities to take strict action against those involved in manipulating public funds and falsifying government records.

The incident has once again raised questions about the transparency and monitoring mechanisms of welfare schemes at the grassroots level, especially in rural Karnataka.