On Monday, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation comprising 30 members, led by party MP Abhishek Banerjee, convened with West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose to address the issue of the central government's cessation of MGNREGA funds to the state. The delegation also included beneficiaries of the scheme who have yet to receive their payments.
During the meeting, the TMC leadership presented a memorandum to the governor along with several letters, in which they raised three critical questions concerning the MGNREGA scheme.
Firstly, the party inquired whether it was not a fact that over 21 lakh individuals who had participated in the MGNREGA scheme for the fiscal year 2021-22 had not received their dues, despite the passage of two years.
Secondly, the TMC sought clarification on the reasons behind withholding wages, accusing the central government of unjustly denying people their rightful entitlements.
Thirdly, the party underscored that under the MGNREGA Act, laborers are legally entitled to receive their payments within 15 days from the closure of the muster roll. If this timeline is breached, the workers are eligible for compensation for the delay, which accrues at a rate of 0.05 percent per day starting from the 16th day onwards.
The TMC emphasized that those workers who have not yet received their payments are not only entitled to their wages at the stipulated rate but are also eligible for compensation for the past two years of delay.
Abhishek Banerjee, in a letter signed by him, posed the question, "On what grounds is the Union government depriving the poor workers of their rightful dues?"
Sources from Raj Bhawan conveyed to India Today that the governor had assured that the matter would be conveyed to the central government, and he expressed his commitment to taking whatever actions necessary for the welfare of the people of Bengal. This meeting had been called for by the party following an ongoing indefinite sit-in demonstration led by Abhishek Banerjee, which entered its fifth day on Monday.
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