The BJP accused the TMC of attempting to manipulate the issue for political gain. According to the BJP, the suspension of MGNREGA funds, which began on March 9, 2022, is not politically motivated but is a response to financial irregularities uncovered during audits by the central government. These audits, conducted between 2019 and 2021, found substantial misappropriation of funds by the TMC government, amounting to Rs 537.05 lakh, which prompted the central government to recommend recovery.
“TMC’s habitual engagement in duplicity and capriciousness is once again laid bare through the mendacious tweet by Derek O’Brien. In his attempt to hoodwink the innocent voters of Bengal, he blamed the Central Govt for failing to release funds under MGNREGA,” BJP said in a post on X.
The BJP said that the TMC’s responses, including an Action Taken Report submitted in June 2019, have been inadequate. The state’s continued non-compliance led to the invocation of Section 27 of the MGNREGA Act, justifying the fund stoppage. As of July 25, 2024, the central government reiterated its request for updates on recovery and disciplinary actions, noting that only Rs 161.64 lakh of the misappropriated funds have been recovered.
“It is high time for TMC to finally accept their involvement in the debacle and take action against the Chief of the Loot – Mamata Banerjee!” the saffron party said.
‘Bengal given zero MGNREGA funds’
O’Brien’s claimed the Modi government has admitted in Parliament that West Bengal received “zero” funds under MGNREGA. He cited a reply from the Union minister of state for rural development, Kamlesh Paswan, which showed zero households completed 100 days of employment in 2023-24. However, the data also indicated that 1,618 households completed the work in 2022-23, and 4,71,136 in 2021-22, before the funding halt.
“Finally! Modi Govt admits inside Parliament that BENGAL’S BEEN GIVEN ZERO for MNREGA funds,” the TMC MP said in his post on X.
‘Financial meltdown in the state,’ says West Bengal guv
The BJP’s accusations came on a day when the West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose Governor said there were loopholes in the financial management of West Bengal. Bose said that there is a financial meltdown in West Bengal, and claimed that funds that are meant for poverty alleviation are being used for other purposes in the state.
“This is an opinion which stems directly from the analysis given by competent authorities like the Reserve Bank of India and the Comptroller and Auditor General…I am sorry to say that there is a financial meltdown in West Bengal…Funds are diverted, funds which are meant for the amelioration of poverty are used for other purposes,” Bose told news agency ANI.
The West Bengal Governor added that he has asked for a white paper from the state government.
“It is mandatory for the CM to provide such information to the Governor…I will wait for it. If it comes well and good. If it doesn’t come, there are ways I get for that,” Bose told ANI.