State to clear dues of 21L MGNREGA workers by February 21: Mamata

Kolkata: In a major announcement, Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that her government will pay 21 lakh MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers their pending wages by February 21.

On the second day of her party’s protest on Red Road against non-clearance of dues by the Centre, Banerjee said that the dues will be transferred to their bank accounts. Slamming anti-Bengal BJP from the MGNREGA Dharna Banerjee said: “The state government will clear the dues of 21 lakh MGNREGA workers, whose wages have been kept pending by the Central government for the past two years. Their wages will be transferred to their bank accounts by February 21.”

People gathered at Red Road dharna erupted in cheers as Banerjee announced that by February 21, the state government will bear the costs and clear pending wages of 21 lakh MGNREGA workers deprived by the BJP-led Centre. The Chief Minister’s announcement came a day after she started a two-day protest demanding the release of central dues pending to the West Bengal government for different welfare schemes. She on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi refuting the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report on the delay in submission of Utilisation Certificates. In her letter, the state Chief Minister said the “erroneous” report would create a “misleading picture” and was being used by some people for “false propaganda against the state administrative machinery”.

From the Dharna site Banerjee also stated: “I have to run my family. Within the limitation; we are running Lashmir Bhandar Kanyashree, and other social welfare schemes. We are running 67 social welfare schemes that no other government runs. But, despite our limitations, I am saying I will give the pending wages of 21 lakh MGNREGA workers by February 21. I will give Abas Yojna’s pending money as well. Please believe me. When I promise, I fulfill.”

Launching a fresh attack on the Narendra Modi government, Banerjee said: “The central government is thinking that they will starve Bengal to death. We will not allow them to succeed in that... Have faith in me... I will try to slowly clear in step by step those funds which are still stuck.” She further stated: “This fight is for the people who have been deprived. We will continue our fight and not let a single poor person be deprived in Bengal. Till I am alive, I will fight for you people.”

Banerjee once again mentioned that her party would go “all out” for the Lok Sabha polls and claimed that if all opposition parties come together then the BJP government in the Centre would surely be toppled.

“I will play all out and win all out. If all states, all frontal organisations and all regional parties and national parties come forward, then I think the fall of the BJP is inevitable. If BJP thinks that they are going to stay here long then it is wrong. They have tortured the people of the country for a long period,” she said. The Bengal Chief Minister once again reiterated that she would “never allow” the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.

Trinamool Congress Chairperson Banerjee welcomed MGNREGA and Awas Yojana beneficiaries at the Dharna site on Saturday morning. She said: “Our people have travelled a long distance to arrive here; especially MGNREGA workers who haven’t received their pending wages and Awas Yojana beneficiaries who are yet to get their houses. You are like our brothers and sisters,” she said.

Former Indian cricketer and politician Kirti Azad and social activist Yogendra Sharma visited Banerjee at the dharna stage.