Half of MGNREGS sites inspected in Bengal showed flaws, says RTI reply

A set of RTI replies reveals that one of the key factors prompting the Union Rural Development Ministry’s decision was the inspection of 63 worksites out of which inconsistencies were reported in 31.

There are 3.4 crore registered MGNREGA workers in West Bengal. The Centre bears 90% of the budget for MGNREGS that provides guaranteed employment for up to 100 days in rural areas.

A series of RTIs filed by Chakradhar Buddha from the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information reveals that the Centre undertook three field visits to the State — January 22-24, 2019, to Purba Bardhaman and Hooghly districts, March 2-28, 2022, to Malda district, and a third visit from April 14-18, 2022, to Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman and Darjeeling. In total, the Central teams inspected 63 worksites of which “32 were found satisfactory and the remaining 31 had serious shortcomings”.

The Central teams broadly reported these faults with the implementation — “breaking bigger works into smaller parcels to avoid scrutiny”, “existing work was fraudulently shown to be created under MGNREGA”, “tendering norms were not followed for procurement of systems”, “works not permissible under MGNREGA were taken up”, “poor maintenance of files and records” and so on. The Centre also stated that the State government filed delayed and unsatisfactory action-taken reports when these faults were pointed out.

Since the stoppage of funds, there has been much back and forth between the State government and the Centre. The State government has been criticised for its handling of the scheme, including allegations of corruption and mismanagement. The State government, in a hearing of a case in the Calcutta High Court on a petition filed by Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity (PBKMS), has informed that since the fund freeze, it has written to the Centre more than 20 times but has got no response. 

On December 13, 2024, in a reply tabled in the Rajya Sabha to a question by Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale on the reason for stopping funds to West Bengal, the Union Ministry of Rural Development said, “The release of funds under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to the State of West Bengal has been stopped since March 9, 2022, as per provision of Section 27 of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, due to non-compliance of directives of Central Government.” 

Section 27 empowers the Centre to stop releasing funds if irregularities are found in the scheme’s implementation. The Section, however, does not stipulate holding back funds indefinitely. It also states, “appropriate remedial measures for its proper implementation within a reasonable period of time” has to be taken.

On December 18, 2024, a delegation of NREGA Sangharsh Morcha — a body of unions working with MGNREGA workers — met the Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who has assured them of resolving it at the earliest. “We told the Mr. Chouhan and the Ministry officials that workers are being punished for the theft of MGNREGA funds by the officials, which is unjust. We hope it is resolved at the earliest,” Anuradha Talwar, of PBKMS said.