From February 2, members of the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha will organize a 100-day protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to protest against the “attacks” on MGNREGA or 100 days of work in the country. Morcha member Anuradha Talwar said that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA) has a long history of 17-18 years before its implementation in 2005-06, but at present the scheme is under constant attack. Union Govt.
Ms Talwar, who held a press conference on Tuesday on denial of MGNREGA wages in West Bengal, said the scheme is facing attack in various states and workers from different parts of the country will participate in the 100-day protest . On February 2, which is observed as MGNREGS Action Day in the country, Paschim Banga Khet Mazur Samiti (PBKMS) will hold a demonstration across West Bengal over the issue of pending wages.
The Calcutta High Court had directed the District Magistrates on 9 January “Take appropriate action” in glitches related to implementation of MGNREGA after PBKMS provided details of aggrieved workers.
Citing the order, Ms. Talwar said that the committee is disappointed with the order as it is the duty of the employees union to give the details of pending salaries to the District Magistrates. Citing a recently published report, he said that due to wage denial and non-implementation of the scheme in 2022, there was a wage loss of Rs 6,842 crore in West Bengal.
‘staying hungry’
Deepali Mahato, an activist from Purulia, said that her payment of MGNREGA wages was denied due to the tussle between the Center and the state, adding that no government employee had been denied any salary. “Our children are going hungry and we cannot send them to school. We have to go out of state for work,” Ms. Mahto said.
Swapan Ganguly of PBKMS said that the salary of workers in West Bengal is pending since December 26, 2021. ,” Mr. Ganguly said. While the Center claims there are irregularities in the implementation of the scheme, the West Bengal government alleges that the state is being targeted for political reasons. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised the issue of pending MGNREGS wages with the Center several times, including in her personal interactions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.