All registered workers migrated to VB-G RAM G; e-KYC not mandatory for employment: Centre

The government underlined that every worker who has demanded employment has been offered work as per demand, and around 2.11 crore workers have so far been offered employment under VB-G RAM G. File. | Photo Credit: Arun Kulkarni The Union Rural Development Ministry on Sunday (August 30, 2026) said that every worker registered under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), irrespective of whether e-KYC of their job cards has been completed, has been migrated to Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-G RAM G].In a statement, the Ministry also underlined that pending e-KYC does not prevent a worker from demanding or receiving employment. The statement was issued in response to The Hindu’s report on Saturday (August 29, 2026), which flagged that the job cards of 57 lakh active workers have not yet completed the e-KYC process.So far, e-KYC has been completed for 15.89 crore workers, including 10.27 crore of 10.84 crore active workers, which is approximately 95%. While not disputing the numbers given in The Hindu report, the government said that e-KYC is a database-authentication measure and not a precondition for exercising the statutory right to demand employment under VB-G RAM G.“Every worker registered under MGNREGA, irrespective of whether e-KYC has been completed, has been migrated to VB-GRAM G. Pending e-KYC does not prevent a worker from demanding or receiving employment. An appropriate exception mechanism is also available to facilitate employment demand and the provision of work for workers whose e-KYC is pending,” the statement said.The Ministry further said that e-KYC of workers is the responsibility of the concerned State and Union Territory governments and is being undertaken to strengthen authentication and maintain an accurate and credible worker database. “The process is simple and can ordinarily be completed in less than 30 seconds,” the statement said.The government further underlined that every worker who has demanded employment has been offered work as per demand, and around 2.11 crore workers have so far been offered employment under VB-G RAM G. Simultaneously, the Centre has advised States to expeditiously complete e-KYC of all active workers.“The Ministry is continuously supporting and monitoring States/UTs in this exercise while ensuring that no willing worker is deprived of employment merely because e-KYC is pending,” it said. Published - August 30, 2026 09:32 pm IST