Amid Dharna Against Center, Mamata Banerjee Promises MGNREGA Workers To Pay Wages By February 21

Amid an ongoing protest against Center over pending due to West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday announced that her government is set to disburse the pending wages of 21 lakh to MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers by February 21.

"The state government is committed to settling the dues of 21 lakh MGNREGA workers, which have remained pending due to the Central government for the past two years. Their wages will be credited to their bank accounts by February 21," she stated.

The MGNREGA Act 2005 aims to enhance livelihood and provide a 100-day guarantee of work in a financial year to workers residing in rural areas of the country.

CM Mamata has been alleging that the Central Government has deliberately stopped funds for West Bengal as part of BJP's petty politics.

In her letter, she said that the inaccurate report could create a misleading portrayal and was being exploited by certain individuals for "false propaganda against the state administrative machinery."

Trinamool Supremo also underlined that the CAG's State Finance Audit Report indicated a delay in submitting Utilisation Certificates totaling Rs 2,29,099 crore from 2002-03 to 2020-21, despite the fact, that West Bengal had submitted Utilisation Certificates to the respective ministries on time.

As per Trinamool Congress sources, the ongoing sit-in marks the third significant protest to raise voices of MGNREGA workers ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The reports said that the protest may be continued for 48 hours, strategically aligning with the initiation of the West Bengal budget session on February 5.