The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) aims to tackle poverty and unemployment by guaranteeing 100 days of work to rural households. The scheme also aims to prevent distress migration by providing employment in rural areas. However, the role of technology in nullifying MGNREGA's objective of stopping distress migration is significant.

• Technology like smartphones and internet has made it easier for migrants to find and apply for jobs in urban areas, making them less reliant on rural employment schemes like MGNREGA.
• There have been several complaints regarding the lack of timely payment of wages due to the use of technology for transactions and lack of adequate infrastructure for online transactions.
• Moreover, the lack of provision for social security for migrant workers makes them vulnerable to exploitation by employers in urban areas.
• Technological advances also lead to the automation of many jobs in the rural sector, causing a significant reduction in available opportunities for rural workers.
• The lack of technological infrastructure also limits the reach of MGNREGA to remote areas where poor connectivity and power supply make online transactions challenging.

While technology has its benefits, its impact on rural employment schemes like MGNREGA should not be ignored. The government must address the issues arising from technology usage for payment and provide appropriate social security measures for rural workers to nullify its adverse effects on the objective of stopping distress migration.