A year of MGNREGA imbroglio in Bengal, rights group call it violation of worker’s rights
The Hindu
According to the NREGA Sangarsh Morcha, the Centre has withheld ₹7,500 crore of MGNREGS funds
Highlighting that it has been a year since MGNREGS workers in West Bengal have not been paid wages, NREGA Sangarsh Morcha on Monday issued a press statement accusing the Centre of “assault on the NREGA”, which is a 100-day employment scheme for the rural families, and it also exposed the government’s lack of commitment for the workers’ rights.
The last installment of wages to workers in West Bengal was released on December 26, 2021, and since then according to NREGA Sangarsh Morcha, the Centre has been withholding the release of over ₹7,500 crore MGNREGS funds to the State. Out of the ₹7,500 crore, according to the Morcha the pending wages amount to ₹2,744 crore.
Also read: Centre withholding West Bengal’s MGNREGS funds, says Trinamool in Rajya Sabha
The Centre has stopped giving funds to the State under Section 27 of the MGNREG Act which points that the Central government may order stoppage of release of funds to the scheme and institute “appropriate remedial measures for its proper implementation within a reasonable period of time”.
“Both the Central and State governments are guilty of violating the fundamental Right to life of 3.4 crore registered workers across the State. Denial of work and wages is also in contravention to the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Swaraj Abhiyan case,” the press statement from NGREGA Sangarsh Morcha said, adding that the development has pushed poor workers on the brink of starvation.
The activists of the Morcha also pointed out that the non-payment of wages has severely impacted MGNREGS in the State with average days of work dropping to 23 for the current year from 63.46 days (pre-COVID) and 49.96 days (post-COVID).
Workers from Paschim Banga Khetmajoor Samity (PBKS), which is an independent trade union in West Bengal, held protests at various places in the State on Monday, blocked roads, held demonstration by wearing black badges observing it as a ‘ black day”.
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