Rs 5500 Cr MGNREGA due on good

Employment

Rs 5500 Cr MGNREGA due on goods supply, amid CHC order

The MGNREGA vendors today claimed that their dues against supply of materials for the respective project works worth Rs 5500 Crore remains due since 2021-22 financial year, which resulted three suicide deaths during the period for want of cash in hand.

Today, the vendors, enrolled with All Bengal Rural Development Contractor's Welfare Association staged a mass demonstration at the district headquarters demanding 'immediate disbursement' of their due amounts. The organization has 47,000 registered vendors and contractors.

Sheikh Parvezuddin, state president of the organization said: "We were suppliers, but the hefty unrealized volumes over the years have reduced our conditions worst compared to the marginal labourers." The East Burdwan unit president of the organization Sharif Mian claimed: "In East Burdwan alone, our gross due has reached Rs 5500 Crore since 2021-22 year and three of our members committed suicide out of poverty during the period." Sheikh threatened: "If the issue isn't addressed and the crises are resolved within December, we will stop participating in government works."

The district administration denied to respond on today's agitation, however.

The MGNREGA vendors of East Burdwan, on 26 July, 2024, at a dharna manch had claimed that their dues worth Rs 1300 Cr against supply of materials for different MGNREGA projects remained unsettled since 2020.

The Calcutta High Court on last Friday, incidentally has directed the Centre to immediately implement the MGNREGA scheme in West Bengal, while granting four weeks’ time to file an affidavit regarding payment of arrears to beneficiaries.

Passing an interim order, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen said, "So far as payment of arrears is concerned, four weeks’ time is granted to the Centre and other respondents to file their affidavit-in-opposition."