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The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Political parties compete to take credit for resumption of MGNREGS in West Bengal
A day after the Calcutta High Court directed the resumption of MGNREGS in West Bengal, political parties in the State tried to take credit for the return of the 100-days-work scheme after a three-year hiatus. A Division Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee on Wednesday (June 18) directed the Union government to resume the Centrally funded scheme from August 1. Welcoming the High Court order, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee noted that her government had already started a scheme called 'Karmashree' to provide 50 days work to people in the State. Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee claimed that the stoppage of the scheme in the State was 'revenge and retribution' after the BJP failed to defeat his party in the 2021 Assembly polls. 'We welcome it. We made a promise to the people of Bengal — that we would fight for their rights with every ounce of strength in our bodies, and we reaffirm our commitment to fight for Bengal against the ZAMINDARS in every forum, at every level,' he said. Also Read | What is the lowdown on MGNREGA funding? The West Bengal BJP leadership described the resumption of the scheme as a 'resounding slap to Trinamool's corrupt machinery'. 'Bengal's poorest will finally receive what's rightfully theirs. But make no mistake — Mamata Banerjee Government will try everything to derail this because she simply cannot tolerate any system that she doesn't control and cannot exploit,' State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said. BJP MP and party spokesperson for the State, Shamik Bhattacharya also spoke on similar lines, asserting that the BJP and Union government wanted to give people 100-day work money. 'We understand that the Trinamool government has pushed its people so far into poverty in this State that they have to depend on this money,' he said. The stoppage of the scheme since March 2022 has affected about 2.5 crore workers in the State. The petition to resume work under MGNREGS was filed by Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity (PBKMS), a union of agricultural workers, before the Calcutta High Court. In a statement, PBKMS said that the union viewed the High Court order 'as a significant victory for rural workers in West Bengal and a strong reaffirmation of their right to work under MGNREGA'. The union would remain committed to monitoring the implementation of the court's order and would continue to stand with the workers in their struggle for dignity and justice, it said. Observing that the court order came in response to a petition filed by PBKMS challenging the Central government's suspension of MGNREGS in the State, PBKMS said that the suspension, which lasted over three years, deprived nearly 2.5 crore registered rural workers of their statutory right to employment under the Act. 'PBKMS, on behalf of MGNREGA workers of Bengal, extends heartfelt gratitude to the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha and its constituent organisations who stood in solidarity with the rural workers of Bengal throughout this fight,' the statement added.
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Calcutta High Court directs Centre to resume MGNREGA in West Bengal from August 1
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 18 (ANI): The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to resume disbursal of MGNREGA funds in West Bengal from August 1, while allowing the Union government to set necessary safeguards to prevent corruption. The matter will come up for further hearing after August 15. Between 2022-23 and 2025-26, Bengal was supposed to receive allocations. From 2016 to the next six years, West Bengal was allocated 50,593 crore under the 100 Days Work Scheme (MGNREGA). Allegations of irregularities surfaced in works amounting to only 9.20 crore, against which action was also taken. All related documents and records have been submitted to the Ministry of Rural Development. The court highlighted that the 100-day work scheme is a long-term, centrally funded project where money is directly transferred to workers' bank accounts. It stressed the importance of resuming the scheme in the public interest A division bench led by Chief Justice T. S. Sivagnanam observed that while instances of fund misuse had been proven in four districts, the suspension of the entire scheme for three years was unjustifiable. BJP leader Amit Malviya welcomed the HC Verdict calling it a huge blow to the Mamata Banerjee government. 'In a landmark ruling, the Calcutta High Court has ordered that the MGNREGA scheme in West Bengal must restart from 1st August 2025 -- a huge blow to the Mamata Banerjee government and a massive win in the fight against corruption. Here's what the verdict means: The scheme cannot be kept in abeyance indefinitely just because the State misused it. Control will now rest with the Central Government for strict monitoring -- Mamata Banerjee will no longer be able to loot. No retrospective payments -- only genuine beneficiaries will receive fresh entitlements. All recovered money from the scam will go to the Consolidated Fund of India, not to TMC's coffers. Since the Act itself hasn't been scrapped, the benefits must reach the poor -- and the Court has ensured that they will. This is a tight slap on TMC's corruption-ridden governance. The poor of Bengal will now get what is rightfully theirs. But make no mistake -- Mamata Banerjee will do everything to stall its implementation... because she cannot tolerate a system she cannot manipulate,' he posted on X. The Trinamool Congress also welcomed the verdict claiming that it vindicates the party's stand. 'The Calcutta High Court has directed the Centre to resume MGNREGA in Bengal from August 1, a clear acknowledgment of the injustice faced by 59 lakh job card holders. Under the leadership of Smt. Mamata Banerjee and Shri Abhishek Banerjee. We fought relentlessly against this discrimination. Today's verdict vindicates our stand, and marks a crucial victory for Bengal's people,' the TMC posted on X. (ANI)
Hans India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Calcutta HC directs Centre to start 100-day job scheme in Bengal from August 1
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Union government to start the process of implementation of the 100-day job scheme under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in West Bengal from August 1 without failure. However, while giving the direction to the Union government, the division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chattopadhyay also gave a free hand to impose any condition on the West Bengal government on the proper implementation of the 100-day job scheme to ensure the prevention of corruption in the implementation process. While giving the direction, it also authorised the Centre to pay the amount directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries, if required. The court also authorised the Union government to monitor the implementation process to prevent future corruption and also to carry out ongoing investigations on past instances of corruption. The direction to the Union government came on a petition filed by the organisation, Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samiti (West Bengal Agricultural Workers' Forum), accusing the Centre of not releasing funds under the 100-day job scheme. Senior advocate and the CPI-M Rajya Sabha member Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya appeared on behalf of the forum. On the same issue, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, also filed a case at the Calcutta High Court. However, his contention was that there had been massive irregularities in the implementation of the 100-day job scheme in West Bengal. The state's ruling Trinamool Congress had been quite vocal against the Union government over the non-release of central funds under the MGNREGA scheme for the last three years. On the other hand, the Union government and the BJP argued that the funds have been stopped for the state under this scheme due to rampant corruption in the implementation of the scheme in the past. Field inspection teams from the Union government during the last couple of years toured several districts in West Bengal, probing the complaints on corruption in the implementation of the scheme.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Calcutta HC directs Centre to implement MGNREGA scheme in West Bengal from August 1
The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday (June 18) directed the Centre to implement the MGNREGA scheme prospectively in West Bengal from August 1. The HC said the Centre is empowered to impose special conditions, restrictions and regulations, which have not been imposed in other States of the country, so as to ensure that no illegality or irregularity occurs when the scheme is being implemented in the State. Allowing the Centre to continue its enquiry into the allegations of irregularities in some districts of the State, a Division Bench presided by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam directed that the scheme be implemented prospectively with effect from August 1. The Court directed that the authorities in charge of the implementation of the scheme are entitled to impose special conditions to ensure that whatever had occurred three years prior should not recur. The Court said that it is not in dispute that certain irregularities have been pointed out by the Centre in the disbursement of wages under the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) scheme. The Bench, also comprising Justice Chaitali Chatterjee (Das), noted that with regard to allegations of irregularities, action has been initiated, recoveries made and that such amount is being maintained in a bank account of the state nodal agency of MGNREGS, West Bengal. The Division Bench said that at this juncture, the endeavour of the Court is to ensure implementation of the scheme, which has been kept in abeyance for the past close to three years in the state. The Court said that no one can allow a person who illegally took advantage of the scheme to go scot free. 'At this juncture, the court is concerned about the implementation of the scheme in West Bengal prospectively,' the Bench observed. 'The scheme of the Act does not envisage a situation where the scheme would be put to cold storage for eternity,' it said. The Bench said that the Centre has sufficient powers to inquire into irregularities or illegalities in the manner of disbursement of the wages. The Court said that there can, however, be a line drawn between past actions and future steps to be taken to implement the scheme. It said that this would be 'in public interest' and subserve the object and purpose for which the central law was enacted.
The Hindu
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Calcutta High Court seeks response from Bengal government over Deocha Pachami coal project
A division bench of the Calcutta High Court has sought a response from the State Government and the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) regarding the Deocha Pachami Dewanganj Harisingha (DPDH) coal mining project on Thursday (April 24, 2025). Hearing a petition by economist and activist Prasenjit Bose, the division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee directed respondents, including the Government of West Bengal and the WBPDCL, to file affidavits within three weeks, and a reply, if any, within a week thereafter. WBPDCL, the executing agency, is currently in the process of excavating the 80 metres to 250 metres thick basalt layer over the DPDH coal block in West Bengal's Birbhum. Following West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's announcement at the Bengal Global Business Summit, basalt mining work started at the DPDH coal block on February 6 this year, amidst resistance from local villagers. In his petition, petitioner Mr Bose alleged that the respondents, including the West Bengal government and the WBPDCL, have 'reneged on their legal and contractual obligations' and have 'pursued a confounding trajectory of basalt mining in an area allotted for a coal block.' 'A government notification concerning the coal project issued in November 2021 describes the entire project in a certain manner. After the Chief Minister's announcement in February this year, officials connected to this project have made several statements about the project plan in the media, which do not tally with the initial notification,' Mr. Bose told The Hindu. He added that no official notification has been issued as on date, either for the local population at DPDH or the public at large, specifying the current nature of the mining activities or the environmental and other official clearances obtained. 'There is no information on this coal mining project in the public domain. The people are completely in the dark over what is happening at the DPDH area. There has been no public hearing with the residents whose lands are being acquired for this project. While many have agreed to sell their land in exchange for compensation and jobs, a large section of people have not consented,' Mr. Bose said. 'The question is why a power development corporation is undertaking the work to mine basalt after entering into agreements with the Central government on account of the coal deposits. Basalt mining is a separate project, and that work should be in concurrence with the prior agreement,' he added. During the hearing, Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam cited a past judgment in the Madras High Court in connection with the Salem Highway Project. 'There are a couple of decisions which say whether post-facto environment clearance can be granted or if it should be prior,' he observed during the hearing on Thursday (April 24, 2025).
