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The Hindu
03-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
West Bengal government and Centre are not keen for resumption of MGNREGA, despite Calcuttal HC order
While directing the resumption of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in West Bengal, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, led by T. S. Sivagnanam, on June 18, spoke about drawing a line between past actions and future steps to be taken to implement the scheme. The division bench, while resolving the three-year imbroglio, pointed out that the Act 'does not envisage a situation where the scheme will be put to cold storage for eternity'. Despite the High Court order to resume the scheme from August 1, 100 day work has not started and it seems that neither the government at the state nor at the Centre are keen to resume the scheme. The suspension of the scheme has dominated politics in the State for the past three years. Before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Trinamool Congress leaders paraded MGNREGA beneficiaries in Delhi and highlighted the Centre was depriving the workers of the State of its rightful dues. However, after the High Court directed resumption of the scheme, the response of the ruling party has been lukewarm. In several public gatherings between June 18 and August 1, West Bengal Chief Minister gave no hints on the resumption of the 100-day work. Instead, Ms. Banerjee spoke about Karmashree Prakalpa, a scheme aimed to provide at least 50 days of wage employment to each job card holder household in a financial year. Since the court has directed resumption of the scheme, the Trinamool Congress cannot use the 'Centre's deprivation' card any more. The party, instead, is highlighting that the Centre owes ₹3,000 crore to the State under the scheme. However, the pending funds are no hindrance in the way of resumption of the scheme. The Centre, on the other hand, has not also shown any willingness to comply with the High Court order and continues to hide behind Section 27 of the MGNREGA Act, blocking the release of funds and work, systematically depriving West Bengal's workers of their legal right to employment. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders of West Bengal who have publicly opposed resumption of the scheme do not want the State government to get any allocation under the scheme before the Assembly polls. Neither of the governments are willing to resume the scheme when West Bengal is facing a huge migrant crisis, with millions leaving the State in search of work. In the past six weeks after thousands of people have approached the authorities expressing their willingness to work under the scheme, but there seems to be clarity on whether the scheme will resume or not. As fate of the scheme and workers hangs in balance West Bengal is heading for Assembly polls in 2026. The resumption of the scheme could have provided succour to millions of workers in the State but may not have served political interests of the TMC and BJP. It was Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity (PBKMS) , a union of agricultural workers that approached the High Court seeking resumption of MGNREGA. The union put up a legal fight for three years to ensure that the work under the scheme can start again. The union however blamed 'willful inaction by both the governments' for not resuming the work. Demanding the immediate implementation of MGNREGA work in West Bengal, as per the High Court order, the PBKMS stated that non resumption of work was blatant 'non-compliance with a High Court order is illegal, unjust, and unacceptable'.
The Hindu
01-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
No resumption of MGNREGA work in West Bengal despite HC order says PBKMS
Despite an order by the Calcutta High Court, to resume MGNREGA in West Bengal from August 1, there has been no resumption of 100 days work, Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity, a union of agricultural workers, said on Friday (August 1, 2025). Hearing a petition of PBKMS a division bench of the Calcutta High Court headed by T.S. Sivagnanam on June 18 directed the resumption of the scheme from August 1 'Yet, even after this landmark victory for rural workers, both the Central and State governments have chosen to brazenly defy the Court's order. Instead of preparing for the resumption of work, block offices in multiple districts are refusing to even accept job applications. This is a deliberate attack on the right to work of the state's poorest,' a press statement by PBKMS said. The union also added that job applications by people made under MGNREGA have been rejected. 'In just four days, between 28th and 31st July 2025, 2,092 job applications were submitted across block offices in Purulia, South 24 Parganas, and North 24 Parganas districts. Meanwhile, job applications from 1,349 workers were illegally rejected in 9 block offices across 7 districts,' the union said. A representative of PBKMS said that when they contacted the NREGA Commissioner, he clearly stated that no work will begin unless the Central Government issues fresh instructions - a position that clearly undermines the authority of the Calcutta High Court. Alleging willful inaction by both the governments, the union stated that the Central Government is equally guilty and by hiding behind Section 27 of the MGNREGA Act, 'it continues to block the release of funds and work, systematically depriving Bengal's workers of their legal right to employment'. The workers union also claimed that in Nadia district's Krishnagar-II block, when a member of the union accompanied workers to submit job applications, the BDO and several panchayat pradhans responded with abuse and threats, calling him a 'Bangladeshi' and threatening him with arrest and punitive action. Demanding the immediate implementation of MGNREGA work in West Bengal, as per the High Court order, the PBKMS stated that this blatant 'non-compliance with a High Court order is illegal, unjust, and unacceptable and it continue our struggle for the right to work in every village and every district'. Before the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, the Trinamool Congress along with MGNREGA workers held protests in Delhi demanding payment of wages and resumption of work. However, West Bengal's ruling party response to the High Court order has been lukewarm. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said her government has started Karmashree Prakalpa to provide at least 50 days of wage employment to each Job Card holder household in a financial year. The scheme, however, is not visible at the grass roots level .Work under MGNREGA had stopped in the State since December 2021 which has resulted in widespread rural distress and migration.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Political parties compete to take credit for resumption of MGNREGS in West Bengal
A day after the Calcutta High Court directed the resumption of MGNREGS in West Bengal, political parties in the State tried to take credit for the return of the 100-days-work scheme after a three-year hiatus. A Division Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee on Wednesday (June 18) directed the Union government to resume the Centrally funded scheme from August 1. Welcoming the High Court order, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee noted that her government had already started a scheme called 'Karmashree' to provide 50 days work to people in the State. Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee claimed that the stoppage of the scheme in the State was 'revenge and retribution' after the BJP failed to defeat his party in the 2021 Assembly polls. 'We welcome it. We made a promise to the people of Bengal — that we would fight for their rights with every ounce of strength in our bodies, and we reaffirm our commitment to fight for Bengal against the ZAMINDARS in every forum, at every level,' he said. Also Read | What is the lowdown on MGNREGA funding? The West Bengal BJP leadership described the resumption of the scheme as a 'resounding slap to Trinamool's corrupt machinery'. 'Bengal's poorest will finally receive what's rightfully theirs. But make no mistake — Mamata Banerjee Government will try everything to derail this because she simply cannot tolerate any system that she doesn't control and cannot exploit,' State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said. BJP MP and party spokesperson for the State, Shamik Bhattacharya also spoke on similar lines, asserting that the BJP and Union government wanted to give people 100-day work money. 'We understand that the Trinamool government has pushed its people so far into poverty in this State that they have to depend on this money,' he said. The stoppage of the scheme since March 2022 has affected about 2.5 crore workers in the State. The petition to resume work under MGNREGS was filed by Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity (PBKMS), a union of agricultural workers, before the Calcutta High Court. In a statement, PBKMS said that the union viewed the High Court order 'as a significant victory for rural workers in West Bengal and a strong reaffirmation of their right to work under MGNREGA'. The union would remain committed to monitoring the implementation of the court's order and would continue to stand with the workers in their struggle for dignity and justice, it said. Observing that the court order came in response to a petition filed by PBKMS challenging the Central government's suspension of MGNREGS in the State, PBKMS said that the suspension, which lasted over three years, deprived nearly 2.5 crore registered rural workers of their statutory right to employment under the Act. 'PBKMS, on behalf of MGNREGA workers of Bengal, extends heartfelt gratitude to the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha and its constituent organisations who stood in solidarity with the rural workers of Bengal throughout this fight,' the statement added.
India Gazette
18-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Calcutta High Court directs Centre to resume MGNREGA in West Bengal from August 1
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 18 (ANI): The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to resume disbursal of MGNREGA funds in West Bengal from August 1, while allowing the Union government to set necessary safeguards to prevent corruption. The matter will come up for further hearing after August 15. Between 2022-23 and 2025-26, Bengal was supposed to receive allocations. From 2016 to the next six years, West Bengal was allocated 50,593 crore under the 100 Days Work Scheme (MGNREGA). Allegations of irregularities surfaced in works amounting to only 9.20 crore, against which action was also taken. All related documents and records have been submitted to the Ministry of Rural Development. The court highlighted that the 100-day work scheme is a long-term, centrally funded project where money is directly transferred to workers' bank accounts. It stressed the importance of resuming the scheme in the public interest A division bench led by Chief Justice T. S. Sivagnanam observed that while instances of fund misuse had been proven in four districts, the suspension of the entire scheme for three years was unjustifiable. BJP leader Amit Malviya welcomed the HC Verdict calling it a huge blow to the Mamata Banerjee government. 'In a landmark ruling, the Calcutta High Court has ordered that the MGNREGA scheme in West Bengal must restart from 1st August 2025 -- a huge blow to the Mamata Banerjee government and a massive win in the fight against corruption. Here's what the verdict means: The scheme cannot be kept in abeyance indefinitely just because the State misused it. Control will now rest with the Central Government for strict monitoring -- Mamata Banerjee will no longer be able to loot. No retrospective payments -- only genuine beneficiaries will receive fresh entitlements. All recovered money from the scam will go to the Consolidated Fund of India, not to TMC's coffers. Since the Act itself hasn't been scrapped, the benefits must reach the poor -- and the Court has ensured that they will. This is a tight slap on TMC's corruption-ridden governance. The poor of Bengal will now get what is rightfully theirs. But make no mistake -- Mamata Banerjee will do everything to stall its implementation... because she cannot tolerate a system she cannot manipulate,' he posted on X. The Trinamool Congress also welcomed the verdict claiming that it vindicates the party's stand. 'The Calcutta High Court has directed the Centre to resume MGNREGA in Bengal from August 1, a clear acknowledgment of the injustice faced by 59 lakh job card holders. Under the leadership of Smt. Mamata Banerjee and Shri Abhishek Banerjee. We fought relentlessly against this discrimination. Today's verdict vindicates our stand, and marks a crucial victory for Bengal's people,' the TMC posted on X. (ANI)
Hans India
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Calcutta HC directs Centre to start 100-day job scheme in Bengal from August 1
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Union government to start the process of implementation of the 100-day job scheme under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in West Bengal from August 1 without failure. However, while giving the direction to the Union government, the division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chattopadhyay also gave a free hand to impose any condition on the West Bengal government on the proper implementation of the 100-day job scheme to ensure the prevention of corruption in the implementation process. While giving the direction, it also authorised the Centre to pay the amount directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries, if required. The court also authorised the Union government to monitor the implementation process to prevent future corruption and also to carry out ongoing investigations on past instances of corruption. The direction to the Union government came on a petition filed by the organisation, Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samiti (West Bengal Agricultural Workers' Forum), accusing the Centre of not releasing funds under the 100-day job scheme. Senior advocate and the CPI-M Rajya Sabha member Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya appeared on behalf of the forum. On the same issue, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, also filed a case at the Calcutta High Court. However, his contention was that there had been massive irregularities in the implementation of the 100-day job scheme in West Bengal. The state's ruling Trinamool Congress had been quite vocal against the Union government over the non-release of central funds under the MGNREGA scheme for the last three years. On the other hand, the Union government and the BJP argued that the funds have been stopped for the state under this scheme due to rampant corruption in the implementation of the scheme in the past. Field inspection teams from the Union government during the last couple of years toured several districts in West Bengal, probing the complaints on corruption in the implementation of the scheme.
