Centre says it is ‘reworking procedures’ to resume MGNREGS in West Bengal

The Union Ministry of Rural Development on Friday told Parliament that it is in the “process of reworking and refining the necessary modalities and procedures” to resume the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in West Bengal.

The MNREGS was introduced in 2005 by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance and is aimed at enhancing the livelihood security of households in rural areas. The scheme guarantees 100 days of unskilled work annually for every rural household that wants it, covering all districts in the country.

Funds for the scheme are contributed by the Union and the state governments.

In March 2022, the Union government suspended MNREGS funding to West Bengal, citing widespread irregularities and alleged violations of the scheme’s implementation rules by the state government.

West Bengal received Rs 7,507 crore in the financial year 2021-’22 under MNREGS but has received no funds in the following three financial years.

On Friday, Trinamool Congress MPs held a protest in the Parliament complex over the dues from the Union government for West Bengal, accusing a “vindictive regime” of starving an entire state to settle political scores, The Hindu reported.

The Union government owes the state government more than Rs 3,000 crore under MNREGS, of which over Rs 1,400 crore is the wages due for completed work by registered workers, the newspaper reported.

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’ Brien...

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