Facilitate release: Rahul Gandhi writes to PM over MGNREGS funds

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and his entire Cabinet, along with MLAs and MPs of the Congress, had staged a protest at Jantar Mantar last week, accusing the central government of “injustice” to the state.

In his letter dated February 10 drawing the attention of the Prime Minister to what he called “devastating plight” of MGNREGS workers in Bengal, Rahul said lakhs of people have been denied work and wages under MGNREGS due to the stoppage of central funds to West Bengal since March 2022.

Talking about a meeting he had with a delegation of MGNREGS workers during his yatra in Bengal last month, he said: “I was informed that many workers have not been paid for work completed in 2021 due to shortfall in funds.”

“Moreover, there has been a drastic decline in the number of households availing work from 75 lakh in 2021-22 to under 8,000 households in 2023-24. This massive scale down has been brutal on the most vulnerable — women, and SC & ST households. The lack of MGNREGS work and pending wages have forced many to make hard choices, particularly distress migration,” he said.

Earlier this month, Banerjee had staged a dharna in Kolkata against the BJP-led Centre over the alleged non-payment of dues to the state under various welfare schemes. She then announced that her government would pay 21 lakh MGNREGS workers.