Reworking, refining modalities to resume MGNREGS in West Bengal: Minister to LS

The Department of Rural Development is in the process of ''reworking and refining'' modalities to resume the flagship rural employment scheme MGNREGS in West Bengal, Minister of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

In a written reply in the Lower House, Paswan said a proposal for the upward revision of the Labour Budget for the financial year 2021-22 for West Bengal was not approved by the Empowered Committee, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the Department of Rural Development due to non-compliance with the directives issued by the department.

He said the release of funds to West Bengal under the MNREGS was stopped subsequently with effect from March 9, 2022 by invoking the provisions of Section 27 of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, (MNREGA) owing to continued non-compliance with the directives of the central government by the state.

''For the resumption of implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS in the State of West Bengal and in accordance with the order dated 18.06.2025 passed by the Hon'ble Calcutta High Court, the Department of Rural Development is currently in the process of reworking and refining the necessary modalities and procedures to comply with the High Court's directions,'' the minister said.

According to NREGASoft portal, the total pending liability pertaining to West Bengal as on March 8, 2022 stands at Rs 3,082.52 crore, comprising Rs 1,457.22 crore under the wage component, Rs 1,607.68 crore under the material component and Rs 17.62 crore under the administrative component, he added.

The Calcutta High Court had on June 18 directed the Centre to implement the MGNREGA, the 100-day job guarantee scheme, prospectively in West Bengal from August 1.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)