TMC threatens to resume MGNREGA protest if there is no response from Center by October 31

“Since we have waited two years, we can wait a few more days. If we do not get a proper response by October 31, the Trinamool Congress will organize a bigger movement from November 1. This time Mamata Banerjee will lead the movement. ,” Banerjee said on Friday.

The Trinamool Congress held a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 3 and 4, with its main demand being disbursement of funds by the central government.

Also read: Mamata Banerjee demands release of MNREGA funds, announces cabinet change

“We were on the road for five days. On October 9, the Governor was forced to meet us. He assured us that he would talk to the Central Government within 24 hours about this deprivation of Bengal. The Governor went to Delhi and informed me in an e-mail email that he was having discussions with the Center in this regard,” Banerjee said.

Around 4,000 MGNREGA card holders, who were bused to Delhi by the party from West Bengal, participated in this protest.

.over, the Trinamool Congress organized a march to the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata as part of their protest against the central government over MGNREGA backlogs. The demonstration ended after West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose assured a Trinamool Congress delegation that he would discuss the issue.

Abhishek Banerjee, who addressed the MGNREGA workers, urged them to grant the party till June 30 next year. He assured that the party will “get its rightful share from the people of the Center otherwise our state government will provide the wages”.

Also read: Congress says Modi government is ‘weaponizing’ Aadhaar and technology to deny MGNREGA workers benefits

“Although the law stipulates that the central government must pay the wages of the workers, our Maa Maati Manush government will not let anyone starve,” the statement said.

“If the Mamata Banerjee government can sort this out ₹37,000 crore for the 2.12 crore beneficiaries of Lakshmi Bhandar, the state government can regulate the wages of our people. The Trinamool Congress is fighting for the rights of the people and MGNREGA workers. All we need from the people is their blessings and support in this fight,” the statement said.

The central government explained that it had withheld the release of MGNREGA funds for West Bengal as the state had not adhered to central guidelines or requirements.

Also read: Mint Explore: The Big Picture Behind the MNREGA Cut

“The funds of the State of West Bengal have been stopped from March 9, 2022, as per the provision of Section 27 of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, due to non-compliance with directives of the Central Government,” the Union Rural said Development Ministry. in a statement.

(With inputs from ANI)

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Updated: Oct 20, 2023 12:20 IST