Bengal to press on for release of dues for 100-day work scheme
'Will urge Centre to allow inclusion of 100-day workers for rejuvenation of rural areas in case of natural calamities'
Kolkata: State Panchayats and Rural Development (P&RD) minister Pradip Mazumder said the state government will continue to urge the Centre for disbursal of funds for 100 days of work in the state, with the latter recently releasing funds for rural households and road projects for Bengal.
He claimed that the state government's involvement of MGNREGS workers in draining out water from agricultural lands that had accumulated during natural calamities and untimely rain in Bengal in 2021 has been cited as a deviation from the conditions of 100 days of work as one of the prime reasons in non-disbursal of funds in this category.
"Last year, we faced natural calamities like Cyclone Yaas and untimely heavy rain which led to damages in agriculture. So, on various occasions, we used the 100-day workers for draining out water from agricultural lands, which is not included in the terms and conditions of this project. This has been the lapse on our part but it is unfortunate that the workers have been deprived for such a procedural lapse," Mazumder said.
In the last financial year, 36.42 crore man-days were created in Bengal among which lapses were found in a little over 1.16 lakh man-days which is a meagre .032 per cent.
"It has been found through an audit that the irregularities that they meant were only procedural lapses and 100 days of work that has been executed in the best possible manner in Bengal. Till December last year, there were procedural lapses associated with 1.16 lakh man-days and the Central government had wasted Rs 77 lakh on account of these 'defective' man-days," Mazumdar said.
However, on social audit by the state government, it has been found that Rs 2.86 crore has gone waste. As per the Centre's recommendation, the state has recovered 36 per cent of the wasted money.
"More than seven-and-half-months have elapsed but no funds under the 100 days work scheme have been received. We are keeping our fingers crossed," Mazumder said, adding that Rs 6750 crore as wages for 100 days workers are due.
He added that after the disbursal of funds, he will urge the Centre to allow the inclusion of 100-day workers for the rejuvenation of rural areas in case of natural calamities.
