Bhubaneswar, July 17: In a significant step to strengthen rural employment, the Odisha government has decided to issue Interim Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards (GRGCs) under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), ensuring that eligible households are not denied work while regular cards are being finalized.

The Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department has directed district and block-level officials to issue interim cards so that delays in the approval of permanent Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards do not disrupt employment opportunities for rural families.

The interim arrangement has been introduced as the final GRGC format is still under consideration by the Ministry of Rural Development. The initiative aims to provide uninterrupted access to employment under the Vikash Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025.

The department has identified four categories of beneficiaries eligible for the interim cards. These include newly registered households, families whose existing MGNREGA job cards have been damaged or become unusable, households whose job cards have no space left for recording employment details, and any other eligible households approved by the competent authority under the provisions of the Act.

Officials have clarified that households with lost or damaged job cards will be issued fresh interim cards. Likewise, families whose existing cards are full will receive interim GRGCs, enabling them to continue accessing employment without any interruption.

The government has already communicated the decision to all district Collectors, Chief Executive Officers of Zilla Parishads, and Block Development Officers across Odisha. Comprehensive guidelines have also been circulated, outlining the eligibility criteria, application process, validity of existing job cards, and procedures for generating, printing, approving, and issuing the interim cards.