Several organisations working for MGNREGS workers on Wednesday hit out at the Centre for not releasing funds to West Bengal for the rural employment scheme and expressed apprehension that similar attempts may be made in other states.
The Centre has maintained that MGNREGS funds to West Bengal were stopped due to 'irregularities' in the state. Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh has alleged Centre's money was 'siphoned off' by the state government and that the Centre was contemplating ordering a CBI probe.
Addressing a press conference after the conclusion of the 'National NREGA Convention', representatives from different outfits demanded that MGNREGS wage rates be raised to Rs. 800 per day at least, and work days guaranteed per year increased from 100 to 200.
At present, daily wages vary from Rs 221 to Rs 357 in various states.
The outfits said they will campaign against the ruling BJP in upcoming Lok Sabha polls if their demands are not met.
The activists alleged that 'delayed' payments, 'budget cuts' by the Centre, and 'haphazard' introduction of new techniques like the Aadhaar Based Payment System (ABPS) and National Mobile Monitoring Service (NMMS) are 'destroying' the scheme.
Anuradha Talwar of Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity, West Bengal, claimed the Centre has not paid any dues in the last two years.
"We feel it is an experiment. They will eventually stop funds for other states as well," said Talwar.
In a statement, the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha alleged that NREGA has been "in complete shutdown in West Bengal for over 18 months (since December 2021) as a result of a complete stoppage of funds by the central government citing corruption issues."
It claimed this step is "more political than legal" as the Centre has 'not conducted any investigation, registered any complaint against complicit officials or made any attempt to fight implementation-level leakages in the state'.
Sudhir Kumar Mondal, a MGNREGS worker from Purulia in West Bengal, said he and his daughter have a pending payment of Rs 17,000.
"The BDO and the Pradhan are getting their salaries, but we are being denied payment. We are not begging, we are demanding our rights," he said.
The activists said that repeated appeals and attempts at dialogue with the central government to highlight policy issues in MNREGS have failed.
The Morcha said it will put forward its concerns and suggestions to the central government and also bring them to the attention of the ruling BJP and the opposition I.N.D.I.A alliance.
"Should the Modi Government fail to meet the above list of non-negotiables, the Morcha will take up a campaign of 'BJP Hatao, NREGA Bachao' keeping in view the 2024 general elections," they said.
The Morcha also said it will organise nationwide action and sit-in protests in Delhi during the winter session of the Parliament in December 2023.
James Herenj from NREGA Watch, Jharkhand, said while the data on the government website claims over 99 per cent of payments in the state have been made on time, money reached the accounts of the workers late.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 aims at enhancing the livelihood security of households in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year.
The Union government in January this year made the use of Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS) mandatory for paying wages to those enrolled under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).