Bengal govt to resume rural employment scheme in almost all districts

The West Bengal government has decided to resume the rural employment scheme in all districts except Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas due to ongoing investigations into alleged irregularities.

The West Bengal government will resume the rural employment scheme under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen) Act in all districts of the state, barring Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas, where allegations of irregularities in its implementation are being investigated, a senior official said on Monday.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state secretariat, he said.

The VB-G RAM G Act replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. It is scheduled to come into force across states and Union Territories from July 1.

Adhikari directed officials concerned to expedite the resumption of the rural employment programme in all districts except Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas, the state secretariat official said.

''These two districts registered the highest number of corruption complaints during the tenure of the previous government. Since investigations and verification of the allegations are underway, the scheme will not be restarted there for now,'' he said.

The Centre had earlier stopped the release of funds to West Bengal under the scheme, following allegations of widespread irregularities in its implementation during the previous TMC regime.

The issue had also reached the Calcutta High Court after the 'West Bengal Khet Majoor Samity' alleged that wages under the scheme had not been paid in the state since December 2021.

Adhikari, who was then the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, in a separate petition, had sought a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in implementation of the scheme.

''The chief minister has sought coordination among departments so that work can begin at the earliest in the eligible districts,'' another official said.

The resumption of the scheme is expected to provide relief to thousands of rural households, particularly ahead of the monsoon season, he added.