Is BJP MLA himself working as a laborer in MNREGA? Money is also coming into wife’s account

Is MLA himself working as a laborer in MNREGA? Money is coming into wife’s account too, creating ruckus in Uttarkashi!

The temperature of politics has risen in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The news of MNREGA money being deposited in the bank accounts of BJP MLA from Purola Assembly Durgeshwar Lal and his wife Nisha has surprised everyone. If the MLA’s name appears in the scheme which provides 100 days of employment for the poor, then questions will definitely be raised!

MNREGA is the lifeline of the poor

MNREGA, started in 2005, is the biggest weapon to remove unemployment in rural India. Recently, when the Central Government decided to change its name to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the entire opposition including Congress created an uproar. In hilly areas like Uttarkashi, this scheme is the life of people, because there are very few job opportunities here.

How did the case come to light?

Durgeshwar Lal became MLA on BJP ticket in 2022. Before that, he and his wife had MNREGA job cards and had received money earlier also. But even after becoming MLA, new jobs started appearing on his job card. It is clearly visible on the official website of MNREGA:

• In June 2022, wife Nisha got the job of building a road in Recha.
• Tree planting work in Bajuri and Samladi in August-September 2024 and November 2024
• This year the MLA himself was shown the work of land reform in Pinekchi.

How much money came into the account?

According to the website, after becoming MLA, he earned a total of Rs 5,214 for three works. Whereas from 2021 to 2025, a total of Rs 22,962 was deposited in the accounts of the husband and wife. The biggest question is whether these works were actually done? Officials of the development block office say that this happened due to the old job card, but the musterol (attendance register) or file containing the signatures of the workers is not found anywhere.

MLA said – Conspiracy to tarnish my image!

Durgeshwar Lal called it a complete conspiracy. He says that before becoming MLA he had a job card, now the middlemen’s shops have been closed so some people are taking revenge. They claim that without work and without signature the muster roll is not made.

Officials are strict, investigation started

Block Development Officer Shashi Bhushan Binjola has taken this seriously. He said that soon the employees will be interrogated and full recovery of the misappropriated money will be made. Lakhs of people are associated with MNREGA in Uttarakhand, such cases can break people’s trust.

What was the lesson learned after all?

This whole matter shows how important transparency is in schemes like MNREGA. The online portal has caught the irregularities, but monitoring will have to be done more strictly at the ground level. Hopefully the truth will come out in the investigation and this lifeline of the poor will remain clean.