State sanctions over Rs 129 crore as MGNREGA payment to GTA

With the Union government having stopped payments for MGNREGA to Bengal, the state government has come forward to pay the workers who have worked under this scheme but have not received payments yet. 

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 25 Feb 2024 : After the Bengal government sanctioned over Rs 129 crore to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) to pay the deprived beneficiaries of MGNREGA, the GTA is all set to disburse due payment from February 26 and will be completed by March 1. 

With the Union government having stopped payments for MGNREGA to Bengal, the state government has come forward to pay the workers who have worked under this scheme but have not received payments yet. 

“The state government has sanctioned more than Rs 129 crore for GTA for 100 days’ work. The payment will start from February 26 and it will be completed by March 1, 2024. 

This amount was supposed to come from the Central government but they have stopped our money. MP Raju Bista talking to media persons had clearly boasted that he has stopped the payments of our MGNREGA. 

On behalf of the people of GTA, I thank CM Mamata Banerjee for addressing the woes of people,” stated Anit Thapa, Chief Executive, GTA. MGNREGA dues are all set to emerge as a core issue for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bengal. 

The MGNREGA dues in the state amount to about Rs 6,913 crore. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also sat on dharnas with this demand. Finally she announced that her government will clear the dues of all the deprived workers in Bengal. 

In March 2023, Darjeeling’s BJP MP Raju Bista, talking to media persons at Putung Tea Estate in Mirik had stated that he had categorically asked the Union government to stop MGNREGA 100 days’ work funds to the Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong. 

“I have asked the government to stop allotments for Har Ghar Jal Central scheme also. There is a lot of malpractice and fraud revolving around these schemes in the Hills,” he had then stated. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/state-sanctions-over-rs-129-crore-as-mgnrega-payment-to-gta-553540