The Centre will be sending teams to West Bengal today to oversee the progress of projects such as NREGA in which the Mamata Banerjee government has alleged “non-compliance” by the Modi government regarding release of funds.
The Trinamool Congress government had earlier accused the Centre of not releasing funds for the 100 days’ man work under the national rural employment scheme.
When questions were raised in Parliament on the MNREGA funds, Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti replied, “In the current financial year 2022-23 (as on 20.07.2022), Rs 34,847 crore have been released to the states/UTs except the state of West Bengal for the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS.
“Funds of state of West Bengal have been stopped as per provision of Section 27 of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 due to non-compliance of directives of the Central government”.
According to sources, the Central teams, mostly of directors, will be visiting 15 districts of West Bengal from August 1, including Jhargram, West Medinipur, Alipurduar and East Medinipur. They will stay in each district for at least four days.
Not just MNREGA, the teams will also monitor the works of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Gram Sadak Yojana.
Sources have also stressed that the Central teams will be in West Bengal to not “oversee” the projects but take the stock of the situation as chief minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier warned that if the government does not release funds to her government then the TMC would carry out protests in Delhi.
This is not for the first time that the central teams had visited West Bengal to do a recce. In 2018-2019, they had reached the state report of which was released this year.
According to sources, the report had pointed out a few flags. The report said each district lacked an independent Ombudsman; funds were often used for works, which did not come under the purview of MNREGA.
Sources said the West Bengal administration had already replied to the queries of the Centre and another report will be submitted in two weeks.
There had discrepancy in the name of the scheme. Sources say the state has clarified that it has not changed the name of MNREGA, and it has been “using” the same name.
With West Bengal Panchayat elections round the corner, there seems to be politicisation of the issue between the Centre and state government.
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