Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : The Calcutta High Court has stepped in to resolve a major political and administrative deadlock, directing the Central Government to resume the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme in West Bengal starting from August 1, 2024.
The ruling provides a significant relief for lakhs of rural workers in the state who have been without work and wages under the scheme for over two years.
The funds for MGNREGA, a critical social safety net providing 100 days of guaranteed wage employment to rural households, were halted by the Centre in March 2022. The Union Government cited widespread corruption and irregularities in the implementation of the scheme by the state government as the reason for withholding the funds.
This stoppage became a major point of contention between West Bengal's Trinamool Congress (TMC) government and the BJP-led Central Government.
However, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the High Court emphasized that the beneficiaries of the welfare scheme cannot be made to suffer due to a dispute between the central and state authorities. The court's decision prioritizes the welfare of the rural poor, effectively ordering the two governments to find a way forward while ensuring the scheme's benefits reach the people.
This landmark judgment now puts the onus on the Central Government to comply with the court's directive and re-initiate the flow of funds, aiming to restore a vital source of livelihood for countless families across West Bengal.
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