West Bengal left high and dry after Centre freezes MGNREGS funds for State

Published : Nov 17, 2022 10:35 IST The Centre has withheld funds for several welfare schemes in West Bengal, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, for almost a year now, putting the Trinamool Congress government in an uncomfortable situation ahead of panchayat elections likely early next year. Following a meeting with district magistrates, Chief Secretary Hari Krishna Dwivedi stated that the government’s “emphasis” was on engaging MGNREGS job cardholders in the schemes of State government departments. However, funds have not been released, thus creating a huge blockade to implementation of the schemes and putting the rural people in great distress.” In fact, on August 6, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, wrote to the Prime Minister highlighting the government’s alleged misuse of Central funds. After the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy, when pressed by journalists to comment, she said: “I will not say anything against the Prime Minister.” For one who has made no secret of her political ambitions at the Centre and has been one of the most vocal critics of Modi, Mamata’s sudden change of tone is seen as a “conciliatory gesture” at a time when her government has its back to the wall owing to ongoing investigations on several scams, including the School Service Commission recruitment scam.