New Delhi: Facing backlash, the Union government has said that it may consider exemptions from the Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS) for the payment of wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) on a “case to case” basis.The implementation of an Aadhaar-based payment system for the Act, which guarantees 100 days of work to rural households, was made mandatory on January 30, 2023 and kickstarted on Monday (January 1) after five extensions for state governments to calibrate their databases.The system requires a worker’s bank account and job card to be linked with Aadhaar. The account must also be connected to the National Payments Corporation of India’s ‘mapper’.According to data provided by LibTech India, a consortium of academics and activists, 7.6 crore job cards have been deleted from the system over the last 21 months.In a statement late on Monday (January 1) night, the Union rural development ministry said that exemption from the ABPS can be considered on a “case to case basis”.“In case, if any gram panchayat of a district in the state is having either technical [problems] or Aadhaar-related [problems], the Government of India may consider exemption from APBS on [a] case to case basis till the resolution of the issue,” the ministry said.Earlier on Monday, the opposition Congress condemned the ABPS for the MGNREGA and called it a “cruel new year gift” to the country’s poor and marginalised.It also urged the Modi government to “stop weaponising technology, especially Aadhaar, to deny the most vulnerable Indians their social welfare benefits, release delayed wage payments and implement open muster rolls and social audits to improve transparency.”Without naming the Congress, the ministry in its statement said that it had “noticed” that “some section of the newspapers has quoted that the “government should stop weaponizing technology, especially Aadhaar to deny the most vulnerable Indians their social welfare benefits, release delay wage payment and implement open muster roll and social audits to improve transparency.””It said that the MGNREGA is a “demand-driven scheme” and the use of technology has brought “a transformation in the implementation of the scheme.”“Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is a demand driven scheme and is affected by various economic factors. Total number of registered job cards is 14.32 crore, out of which just 9.77 crore (68.22%) is active job cards. There is a total of 25.25 crore workers, out of which just 14.32 crore (56.83%) are active workers,” it said.“The use of different technologies ranging from space technology/remote sensing to IT enabled technology, has brought a transformation in the implementation of the scheme.”The ministry also refuted claims of any data being deleted due to the ABPS.“Job card of household can be deleted only in certain specific conditions, but not due to ABPS. Updation/deletion of job cards is a regular exercise conducted by the States/UTs. A job card can be deleted in case, it is a fake job card (incorrect job card)/ duplicate job card/ household not willing to work/ family shifted from gram panchayat permanently/ single person in job card and that person is expired.“Since April 2022 to till date, about 2.85 crore job cards have been deleted by following the due process by the states.”It also said that specific pilot study as well as consultation was done before the launch of the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) app.“The claim in the statement that 34.8% of total registered workers and 12.7% of active workers are still ineligible for ABPS has no relevance. Because APBS is applicable only in case a registered beneficiary turns ups for wage employment.“The Government of India has decided to make the wage payment of unskilled workers through APBS to ensure the payment of beneficiaries into their bank accounts, even in case of frequent change of bank account by the beneficiary.“In case, if any gram panchayat of a district in the state is having either technical problem or Aadhaar-related problem, the Government of India may consider exemption from APBS on case-to-case basis till the resolution of the issue.”