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WB govt will pay dues of 2.1 million NREGS workers denied wage by Centre: Mamata
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said the state government would directly transfer funds to the bank accounts of 2.1 million MGNREGS workers, who have been denied their wages by the Centre, by February 21
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Saturday that her government would pay the dues of 2.1 million workers of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), who have not received wages under the Centre’s 100-days of work programme, by February 21.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, who recently ruled out an alliance with the Congress, said that she would “play all out and win all out” in the coming Lok Sabha polls while urging all non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parties to come forward.
“The state government would directly transfer funds to the bank accounts of 2.1 million MGNREGS workers, who have been denied their wages by the Centre, by February 21. This is my first step,” Banerjee said in Kolkata.
The TMC supremo started a 48-hour demonstration in central Kolkata on Friday demanding release of central funds under various schemes including MGNREGS. She was addressing a gathering at the demonstration site.
“This is my first step. There are 1.1 million people who haven’t received central funds to build their houses. Today I am not making any announcements related to this. I will make announcements at the appropriate time,” she added.
In December 2023, Union minister of state for rural development Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti informed the Lok Sabha that funds under MGNREGS to West Bengal have been stopped since March 9, 2022, as per provisions under Section 27 of MGNREG Act, 2005 due to non-compliance of directives of the Centre.
“The Centre had sent teams at least 156 times to investigate and seek clarifications, our officers attended the meetings, which were called by the Centre and I personally met the Prime Minister thrice. But still funds were not released,” Banerjee said.
In March 2023, Banerjee held a 30-hour demonstration in Kolkata on the same issue. In October last year Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s national general secretary, along with TMC MPs held a demonstration in Delhi. Later in November 2023, the TMC supremo staged a demonstration inside the premises of the state legislative assembly.
Meanwhile, West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose met Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Friday over the issue of release of central funds.
“This is my second visit (to Delhi) in recent days. The basic idea was to see whether funds can be obtained for the welfare of the people of the state. Discussions have been held. The result has been positive. The Prime Minister is very keen that whatever could be done for the welfare of the people, should be done without delay,” Bose told reporters in Kolkata.
Date placed in the Lok Sabha in August 2023 reveals that the Centre had released ₹11,454 crore for West Bengal in 2020-21 and ₹7,507 crore in 2021-22 under the MGNREGS.
“As per provision of the MGNREG Act, 2005 it is the responsibility of the state government to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of the scheme. Also, according to the provision of the Act, if the state government is not fully successful in discharging its responsibility, then the Union government has the right to issue appropriate guidelines as well as stop the release of funds,” Jyoti told the Lok Sabha in August 2023.
On Saturday, Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav joined Banerjee at the protest site.
“I want to play all out and win all out. There would be a game, we have to play the game and we have to win it too. If all (non-BJP) states, regional and national parties and all frontal organisations come forward like this, (the BJP can be ousted). If the BJP thinks they will remain in power forever, I will tell them no one stays forever.”
The BJP stepped up its attack against the TMC after Banerjee’s announcement, saying that it was equivalent to paying bribe to the people ahead of the Lok Sabha election.
“She knows that defeat is certain in the Lok Sabha election and is desperately trying to win over the people. This is equivalent to paying a bribe ahead of the poll. But each and every citizen knows how their family members have bene cheated by the TMC government. There are no jobs, no industrialisation in the state. Only corruption and scam. She can’t escape,” Suvendu Adhikari, BJP legislator, told media persons.
