Guv meets Shah in New Delhi; raises issue of unpaid dues, flood situation in Bengal

PTI October 10, 2023, Kolkata, Oct 10 (PTI) A day after assuring a Trinamool Congress delegation of taking up the issue of MGNREGA dues to West Bengal, Governor CV Ananda Bose on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his New Delhi residence and held an hour-long discussion with him, an official of Raj Bhavan here said.

The governor spoke to him about the West Bengal government's claims for due central funds on account of MGNREGA, the official said.

"The discussions were primarily on the dues from the Centre to West Bengal on the MGNREGA. He also briefed Shah on the flood situation in the districts of north Bengal," the official told PTI.

Bose, soon after the meeting with the TMC left for New Delhi on Monday evening, he added.

The central government had earlier claimed that there were discrepancies in West Bengal’s accounts for the scheme and hence payments had been delayed.

TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday thanked Bose for promptly addressing the issue.

"My heartfelt gratitude to the Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, for ... his swift intervention for the rightful entitlements of over 21 lakh+ individuals of WB deprived under MGNREGA," Banerjee posted on his X handle.

Banerjee, considered number 2 in the TMC, shared Bose's letter to him.

"Dear Abhishek Banerjee, With reference to the memorandum, submitted to me on 9.10.2023 the matter is taken up with the government of India," Bose wrote.

The Diamond Harbour MP led a delegation to Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to Bose on the MGNREGA issue.

The TMC's five-day dharna outside Raj Bhavan ended after the meeting.

On Saturday, the Governor had met a TMC delegation in Darjeeling and followed it up with Monday’s meeting at Raj Bhavan where Banerjee was present.

Banerjee, however, threatened to relaunch the agitation under TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee’s leadership on November 1 if a satisfactory response on “non-payment” of MGNREGA wages to workers was not received.

Banerjee, along with TMC MLAs, MPs, ministers, and MGNREGA workers, recently protested at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and headed to the Rural Development Ministry at Krishi Bhawan to meet union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, but they claimed that after waiting for about an hour and a half, the minister declined to meet them and limited their delegation to five members.