MGNREGS: Malda collects over 40,000 forms from deprived beneficiaries in 4 days

The Malda district Trinamool Congress (TMC) has collected over 40,000 forms in the camps organised by the party to assist the deprived workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in 4 days. The workers who have not received wages after working in the 100 day’s work scheme reached the camps spontaneously and submitted the prescribed forms. The party’s MPs, MLAs and office bearers are supervising this work by going to TMC support camps in all 15 blocks of the district.

Also, the block level leaders are present in the camps and assisting the workers in filling up the application forms. A control room has been opened for this purpose at the party’s district headquarters on Station Road in English Bazar. Shyam Prakash Gupta, general secretary of the party and in-charge of the control room, said: “One support camp has been set up in each of the 146 Gram Panchayat (GP) areas of the district. Over 40,000 application forms have been submitted so far though the exact number can be said later. The district has set a target of 80,000 workers to be enrolled under the initiative.

The area near the GP office has been chosen for setting up such camps. We are receiving a huge spontaneous response from the deprived workers and their families. We’ll send the hard copies to Kolkata after keeping a copy of each form.” Malda has a due of almost Rs 354 crore from the Central

government under MGNREGS. Nearly two-and-a-half lakh workers with job cards have still not received wages despite working under 100 day’s work.

The arrears for their wages are about Rs 51 crore 83 lakh. The arrears for construction material is another Rs 303 crore. Among the 15 blocks in the district, Chanchal-I has the highest arrears of about Rs 54 crore, including wages. About Rs 11 crore is outstanding in Bamangola, Rs 27 crore in Chanchal-II, Rs 30 crore in English Bazar, Rs 24 crore in Gazole, Rs 23 crore in Habibpur, Rs 13 crore in Harishchandrapur-I, Rs 38 crores in Harishchandrapur-2, Rs 32 crore in Kaliachak-I, Rs 31 crore in Kaliachak-II, Rs 19 crore in Kaliachak-III, Rs 14 crore in Manikchak, Rs 13 crore in Old Malda, Rs 15 crore in Ratua-I and about Rs 16 crore is due in Ratua-II block.