Yadgir: In a fresh scam that has come to light, men draped in sarees posed as women to claim benefits worth Rs. 3 lakh of MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Ac) programme, which is aimed at providing jobs in rural areas to prevent migration of people.

This incident was reported in Yadgir, where men got themselves clicked as women with their faces covered. The photographs were uploaded to the National Mobile Monitoring Service (NMMS), an attendance logging system, to portray that woman workers were participating in the scheme. The scam not only defrauded government scheme but also left women unemployed. As the scam came to light, locals have demanded strict action against the authorities.

However, Chennabasava, the Panchayat Development Officer of Malhar village, has denied his role stating that he was unaware the scam. He also stated that an outsourced employee, who was responsible for the scam, has been suspended as soon as the scam was unearthed.