Payments stopped due to 'irregularities': Giriraj Singh on MGNREGS dues to West Bengal

The TMC will also send more than 50 lakh letters from people denied MGNREGS benefits in West Bengal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the rural development minister.According to a reply in Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session by Minister of State for Rural Development Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, by the end of July 2023, around Rs 6,366 crore is the pending liability with the Centre under the wage component of the scheme.

Amid an ongoing tussle between the Centre and West Bengal over non-payment of MGNREGS dues, Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday said the payments were stopped due to ''irregularities''. The remarks by Singh comes ahead of a protest planned in the national capital by the Trinamool Congress over the issue. ''Funds are being given... the Centre does not stop funds for any state. It is because of irregularities, at times funds for a state are stopped,'' he told reporters here when asked about the protest by TMC next month. The West Bengal government under the TMC has accused the BJP-led NDA government of withholding Rs 15,000 crore of dues to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Gramin Awas Yojana.

TMC MP Derek O'Brien recently sought permission from the Delhi Police to hold demonstrations at three places in the national capital over the MGNREGS funds at Krishi Bhawan, Jantar Mantar and outside the residence of Singh.

Sources said while police have denied permissions for protest at the residence of the minister and outside the ministry, it is likely that a protest may be held at the Jantar Mantar. The TMC will also send more than 50 lakh letters from people denied MGNREGS benefits in West Bengal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the rural development minister.

According to a reply in Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session by Minister of State for Rural Development Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, by the end of July 2023, around Rs 6,366 crore is the pending liability with the Centre under the wage component of the scheme. West Bengal has the highest amount due of Rs 2,770 crore.

As per the reply, Rs 6,266 crore of payment is pending to states for material components under MGNREGS as well. West Bengal has payment of Rs 2,813 crore pending under this head, highest among states. In another reply in the Lok Sabha, Jyoti had said that funds under MGNREGS to the state of West Bengal have been stopped since March 9, 2022 as per provisions under section 27 of the MGNREG Act. In 2020-21, West Bengal was provided with Rs 11,454.05 crore under MGNREGS, and in 2021-22, Rs 7,507.80 crore was provided to the state. The MGNREG Act, 2005 aims at enhancing the livelihood security of households in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year.