Centre resumes MGNREGA works in West Bengal but with stringent riders

Cap of Rs 20 lakh per work; 100% e-KYC and pre-estimation field visits mandatory

After a gap of more than three years, the Central government has agreed to resume MGNREGA works in West Bengal with immediate effect but subject to mandatory adherence to stringent conditions that include prohibition of any work which is valued more than Rs 20 lakh, compulsory 100 per cent electronic KYC of all workers and compulsory pre-estimation field visits for all works before they are taken up.

 

The order to resume MGNREGA work in the state was issued a few days back.

 

“Department of Rural Development hereby resumes the prospective implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA in the State of West Bengal with immediate effect. However, such resumption is subject to mandatory adherence to the special conditions and regulatory measures, as directed by the High Court, for ensuring transparency and integrity in the implementation,” the order said. 

For the current financial year (FY26), the state government is required to submit the labour budget proposal within 30 days of receipt of the official order, it said. 

Among other conditions mandatory for resumption of MGNREGA works, the Centre said that job cards may be reviewed and updated within a period of one month from the resumption of the scheme in the state and West Bengal will be allotted labour budget on a quarterly basis, based on performance and compliance with the special conditions imposed by the Department.

 

Also, all funds released under the wage component of MGNREGA will only be credited into the bank accounts of the workers using Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS)-enabled DBT protocol.

 

“The state has to ensure 100 per cent Aadhaar seeding and APBS enablement of all workers,” the order said. The state government would have to conduct a performance audit of material and administrative funds every year, through the Principal Accountant General.

 

Also, for all works undertaken, mandatory detailed project reports (DPRs) have to be approved by the district magistrates even for works within the Rs 20 lakh cap. Also, no more than 10 ongoing works per gram panchayat shall be taken up at any given time and no exemption will be allowed at the panchayat level. All staff which goes on pre-estimation of field works have to be geo-tagged and time-stamped.

 

The circular also read that MGNREGA works will get automatically suspended if muster rolls are not filled within one month and such suspension can only be revoked by the district magistrate with proper justification.

 

“The District Magistrate and the Block Development Officers shall act as the District Programme Coordinator (DPC) and Programme Officers (PO), respectively, for all districts and blocks,” the order said.

 

It also directed the state government to ensure time-bound action against delinquent officials or other Mahatma Gandhi NREGS functionaries including prompt investigations following the financial recovery within 60 days of detection, filing of FIRs, initiation of appropriate departmental disciplinary actions, etc.

 

“The state shall ensure strict adherence to the advisories issued by this Ministry from time to time and ensure regular conduct of social audits of all works and expenditures, as mandated under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS and upload all reports,” the order read.

 

The Union government had invoked the provisions under Section 27 of the MGNREGS Act that allows it to stop funds for violation of rules in implementation of the scheme to withhold funds for West Bengal since March 2022, alleging large-scale corruption and mismanagement in the scheme’s implementation in the state.

 

These included the presence of a large number of bogus beneficiaries.

 

The section was first invoked in December 2021. West Bengal, as per some reports at that time, had claimed that the Centre owed Rs 7,500 crore to it, out of which labour wages alone amounted to Rs 2,744 crore.

 

In June this year, the Calcutta High Court had ordered resumption of all works under MGNREGA in the state from August 1.

 

The High Court also gave the Central government a free hand to take any measure necessary to stop corruption in MGNREGA in West Bengal.

 

Although the Calcutta High Court had directed that the MGNREGA works must resume from August 1, activists and civil society players alleged that neither the Central nor the state government took any steps to comply.

 

Instead, the Centre approached the Supreme Court against the High Court order, which was rejected in October 2025. 

MGNREGA resumes in West Bengal: Key conditions 

• Centre resumes MGNREGA in Bengal after over three years

• Works above Rs 20 lakh barred; strict curbs kick in immediately

• 100% e-KYC, Aadhaar seeding and APBS compulsory for all workers

• Labour budget due in 30 days; quarterly allocation tied to compliance

• DPRs need DM approval; muster roll lapses can trigger auto-suspension