TMC: Modi govt admitted in Parl 'no funds given to Bengal' under MGNREGA

Kolkata: Posting a photograph of a document on his social media handle, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Sunday claimed that the Central government has admitted in its answer in the Parliament that it did not release any funds for West Bengal under MGNREGA's 100-day work scheme.

The photo of the document posted by the TMC MP purportedly showed a state-wise list pertaining to the number of households who have completed 100 days of employment under MGNREGS in the last five financial years. In the column of West Bengal, it purportedly showed zero in the financial year 2023-24.

Derek wrote on X: "Breaking: Finally! Modi Govt admits inside Parliament that BENGAL'S BEEN GIVEN ZERO for MNREGA funds @abhishekaitc @AITCofficial have been demanding a White Paper to prove what BJP govt has paid Bengal since loss in 2021 Elections Here proof from answer in Rajya Sabha".

TMC Lok Sabha MP from Diamond Harbour, Abhishek Banerjee, during his recent speech in the Parliament, had demanded that the Centre must publish a white paper to prove their claim that funds were released to Bengal. Banerjee later told the media: “I had asked a simple question to Nirmala Sitharaman (Union Finance Minister). After BJP lost the 2021 Assembly elections, how much funds were released for Awas and MGNREGA schemes? We thought the Finance Minister might furnish a white paper but she was unable to do so. She has been systematically lying in both Houses and has misled the people of the country as well as Bengal. She hasn’t been able to answer one question properly”.

“If I have the white paper, I will not hesitate to furnish it. They are not able to show such a paper in the public domain because they don’t have the facts. As of today, they have withheld Rs 1.72 lakh crore from Bengal,” Banerjee had added.