Pending MGNREGS dues: ‘Deadline’ over, Mamata says will decide next course of action on Nov 16

“Today, was the last day, but nothing has happened so far… We can only say we received no money for MGNREGA and the housing project (PM Awaas Yojana). We have already started our own 100-day job scheme. We will soon start other projects as well,” the chief minister said at a press conference at Nabanna, the state secretariat.

“I will sit with my party leader after Kali Puja (Diwali). I will sit with all the MLAs, MPs, block presidents, zila parishad, panchayat samiti and panchayat members. After that I will announce our next course of action on November 16,” Banerjee said.

Upping the pressure on the BJP-led government at the Centre, the ruling TMC in West Bengal held protests in Delhi demanding payment of the state’s share in several Central schemes, including MGNREGA.

“The five-day dharna is just a trailer of Bengal’s might. I promise the full picture on November 1 if the BJP fails to provide a constructive response on the state’s dues by October 31. The Governor must secure a written response within two weeks from the Centre as to why they are withholding the wages of 21 lakh workers for the last 2 years,” TMC general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee had said after calling off the party’s protest outside Raj Bhavan in Kolkata last month.

Abhishek had also led party leaders and workers to another rally in New Delhi over the issue in September.

In November 2022, the Centre stopped paying money to West Bengal under the MGNREGA, citing misuse of funds. Earlier this year, the Centre said that on spot inspection revealed discrepancies and irregularities in another Central government scheme – Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY) – in the state.

As per state government officials, the Centre owes around Rs 7,000 crore to the West Bengal government under MGNREGA – Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Earlier this month, TMC leaders, led by the party general secretary held dharna outside Raj Bhavan in Kolkata, urging the Governor to intervene. The protest was called off after Governor Bose met TMC leaders and assured to raise the state’s issue with Union Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Giriraj Singh.

“The hon’ble Governor sent a letter to the concerned ministry for taking up the matter. The Centre has replied that the concerned department has been asked to take appropriate steps,” a Raj Bhavan official told The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, quoting a Raj Bhavan official, PTI reported that the dues were likely to be released soon, but the officials did not give any timeline. The clearance of dues, however, will depend on certain conditions such as furnishing of audited reports, they said.

The Centre had earlier said that funds for the rural job scheme were not released to West Bengal due to “non-compliance of directives”.