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    Pictures of Deepika Padukone & Jacqueline Fernandez appear on MGNREGA cards in MP, used to claim benefits

    Synopsis

    ​​Photographs of these actors have been found on family job cards, uploaded online.

    The local residents alleged that the panchayat secretary and employment assistant were involved in committing this fraud.Agencies
    The local residents alleged that the panchayat secretary and employment assistant were involved in committing this fraud.
    The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) job scheme has once again become the target of fraudsters, this time in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh. The pictures of Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone and Jacqueline Fernandez have reportedly been used on the 'fake' job cards to claim benefits.

    Photographs of these actors have been found on family job cards, uploaded online under MGNREGA beneficiaries, of at least 11 people in the remote Peeparkheda Naka village in Jhirnia panchayat, about 170km from Indore. Job cards of men, too, carry photos of Deepika and Jacqueline.

    The local residents alleged that the panchayat secretary and employment assistant were involved in committing this fraud.

    Khargone collector Anugraha P told TOI that the zilla panchayat CEO has been asked to investigate this immediately. “The job cards will be checked and necessary action taken,” she said. Some villagers were surprised to find the job card pictures on the internet. Amusement turned to alarm as they realised wages had been drawn against these cards.

    “I was surprised to find Deepika Padukone’s photograph on my family job card uploaded online,” villager Sunil Singh said. Monu alias Manoj Shivshankar, whose job card also has Deepika’s photo, said, “I have never gone for labour work. Someone played mischief and swindled money.”

    Jhirnia janpad panchayat CEO Mahendra Kumar Srivastava said the beneficiaries have given statements on Friday that they have received wages. Asked how the online cards carry photographs of actresses, he said, “It will be clear after investigation.”

    Many villagers said they don't even know the amount was released in their names as they never went to work.

    Ziranya is the same panchayat which had got the first place in the country in paying 100 per cent wages to labourers under MGNREGA.

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