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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Saturday that the state government would pay 21 lakh MGNREGA workers their pending wages by February 21.
"The state government will clear the dues of 21 lakh MGNREGA workers, whose wages have been kept pending by the central government for the past two years. Their wages will be transferred to their bank accounts by February 21," Mamata Banerjee said in a statement. The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has consistently protested against the central government, citing delays in fund allocation for initiatives such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and other social security programs in the state. However, the Ministry of Rural Development stated that the release of funds for West Bengal was stopped on March 9, 2022, in accordance with Section 27 of MGNREGA because of the state's non-compliance with the directives of the central government. In December last year, a ten-member delegation led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged delay in the release of MGNREGA funds to the state. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the West Bengal CM claimed, "A ten-member delegation, including our MPs, met the PM today. I urged the PM to release the funds due to the state. He said there will be joint meetings between officials from the Centre and West Bengal on this," the CM said. "We are not getting the money for the poor under the 100-day work scheme. It is mandatory, under the Constitution, that this money be given. During the rains that wreaked havoc on 22-23, our state did not get any money under the 100-day work scheme. Money for the extra days of work, the PM Awas Yojana scheme, the rural development scheme, and the Health Mission scheme have also been put on hold. We are not getting money for the Finance Commission either," she added. (ANI)
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