After TMC MP Derek O’Brien claimed that central govt has finally admitted that West Bengal has not been given any fund for MGNREGA scheme, the BJP hit back at the TMC govt, saying that funds have been frozen due to corruption charges. In a tweet posted on 4 August, the TMC leader said that his party has been demanding “a White Paper to prove what BJP govt has paid Bengal since loss in 2021 Elections.”
He posted a table showing the number of households who completed 100 days of employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which showed that the number for West Bengal is zero. Although it does not show funds allocated for the states, the fact that no family completed the required 100 days of work under the scheme, it means no fund was released to West Bengal.
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— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) August 4, 2024
Finally! Modi Govt admits inside Parliament that BENGAL'S BEEN GIVEN ZERO for MNREGA funds@abhishekaitc @AITCofficial have been demanding a White Paper to prove what BJP govt has paid Bengal since loss in 2021 Elections
Here?proof from answer in Rajya Sabha pic.twitter.com/E8rExjL4AA
Responding to Derek’s tweet, West Bengal BJP posted a detailed tweet explaining why funds under the scheme has been stopped for the state. They said that while Derek O’Brien blamed the centre for not releasing funds to Bengal under MGNREGA, the fact is that there is a temporary cessation of funding under MGNREGA for West Bengal effective since Mar 9, 2022. The reason of this not arbitrariness or political malice, but this is due to “misgovernance of the unaccountable and corrupt Mamata Banerjee administration,” Bengal BJP said.
As per the tweet by them, repeated audits on the scheme in the state have revealed substantial financial irregularities by TMC administration, including the misappropriation of Rs 537.05 lakh, and as a result funds have been frozen for the state under the scheme. They said that irregularities have been detected in Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, Darjeeling, and Malda.
BJP also added that the responses of the Mamata Banerjee government have been deemed insufficient, and the state govt has not complied with directives for corrective measures.
TMC’s habitual engagement in duplicity and capriciousness is once again laid bare through the mendacious tweet by Derek O’Brien. In his attempt to hoodwink the innocent voters of Bengal, he blamed the Central Govt for failing to release funds under MGNREGA.
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) August 4, 2024
As TMC seeks to… https://t.co/X40Yx8RX60
“Despite repeated requests, TMC Govt’s responses, including the Action Taken Report (ATR) submitted on Jun 19, 2019, were deemed deficient and insufficiently contrite. The State Govt’s persistent non-compliance with the Central Govt’s directives to institute corrective measures precipitated the invocation of Section 27 of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, thus justifying the fund embargo,” they said.
They added that on 25 July this year, the Central Govt reiterated its demand for an updated status on the disciplinary actions and recovery processes pertaining to the misappropriated funds. Out of ₹537.05 lakh misappropriated amount, only ₹161.64 lakh have been recovered. BJP added that this “highlights a persistent problem with financial accountability and transparency.”
The tweet by Bengal BJP ended with by saying, “the Central Govt’s actions are underpinned by an unwavering commitment of Modi Govt to safeguarding public exchequer’s integrity, ensuring that public funds are disbursed and utilised with the utmost propriety, without any exploitation. It is high time for TMC to finally accept their involvement in the debacle and take action against the Chief of the Loot – Mamata Banerjee!”
Notably, while Derek O’Brien tried to insinuate that central govt has admitted only now that funds under MGNTREGA for WB have been stopped, the fact is that it is already well known since 2022. The centre invoked the Section 27 of the employment guarantee act to stop releasing funds to Bengal due to non-compliance of rules.
After irregularities were detected, no fund has been released for West Bengal under MGNREGA since March 2022, and it will not be lifted unless the state govt takes corrective measures. As per state govt officials, ₹6,913 crore is due to the state under MGNREGA since FY 2021-22.
Central govt has said that the payments will be made to West Bengal when the Centre is satisfied over transparency in implementation of the scheme in the state. CM Mamata Banerjee has rejected the CAG audit report that pointed out the irregularities, and called it ‘false propaganda’.
Notably, the Calcutta High Court in January this year formed a team to verify MGNREGA job cards in Bengal so that genuine beneficiaries can be identified.
