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West Bengal, Centre spar over unpaid MGNREGS and housing scheme funds

Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh hit back, alleging that West Bengal had issued 2.5 million fake MGNREGS job cards due to which crores of rupees of government funds were siphoned off

TMC to hold simultaneous protest in parts of Bengal over MGNREGA funds

The TMC, which plans to conduct protest programmes in New Delhi against the alleged withholding of state dues by the Centre on Monday, will simultaneously hold similar events in different parts of West Bengal, with live telecasts of the Delhi programme in various parts of the state. TMC MPs and state ministers will peacefully sit in at Rajghat on October 2, followed by a peaceful rally of MGNREGA job card holders in the national capital on the next day. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, and other top leaders arrived in Delhi ahead of the planned protest against the alleged denial of MGNREGA and housing scheme funds to the Bengal government. "Just like the protest programme in New Delhi. We will also hold peaceful protest programmes, including live telecast of the Delhi programmes in various parts of the state," a senior TMC leader said. More than 50 busloads of TMC members and MGNREGA job card holders are expected to reach Delhi on Monday after the party alleged tha

People of Bengal ready for fight in Delhi: TMC MP over MGNREGA protest

Banerjee was summoned by the ED on October 3 in connection with the ongoing investigation into the cash-for-school job scam

TMC to transport MGNREGA job cardholders to Delhi by special buses

The TMC has arranged special buses to ferry nearly five thousand MGNREGA job cardholders to Delhi for their scheduled protest programme next week against the alleged withholding of funds by the Centre, a party leader said on Saturday. Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee announced on Friday that his party would make alternative arrangements for transporting its supporters to Delhi for the October 3 protest programme, accusing the BJP of creating roadblocks after the request for a special train was denied. "As we were denied a special train, we have made alternate arrangements for special buses to transport the MGNREGA workers to Delhi. Since the buses will be travelling through BJP-ruled states, we are also arranging for pilot cars to ensure the safety and security of the MGNREGA job cardholders," a senior TMC leader stated. According to TMC sources, every bus will also have a TMC leader and activists to take care of the 100-day job cardholders. "Special arrangements for emergency .

'Stop me if you can': TMC's Abhishek Banerjee challenges ED summons

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on Friday said that the fight against the deprivation of West Bengal and its rightful dues shall persist regardless of the obstacles

Abhishek Banerjee to hold meeting with party workers on Delhi programme

Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee will hold a virtual meeting with party workers later this week to decide on protests across districts in West Bengal, simultaneous to its proposed programmes in New Delhi next month against the alleged withholding of funds by the Centre for the state under the MGNREGA and other schemes. The date of the virtual meeting is yet to be decided but is likely to be held either on "Thursday or Friday", a party leader said. Banerjee, the party's national general secretary, and TMC MPs, MLAs and leaders from the districts will pay their respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in the national capital on October 2 on his birth anniversary. Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, who was supposed to attend the programmes in New Delhi, might not go there as she was advised 10 days of rest by doctors after she suffered an injury on her left knee during a recent trip to Spain and Dubai. A TMC delegation will meet Union Minister for Rural Development and ..

Only 3.62% of Rajasthan's workers registered to Centre's pension scheme

Four years since its launch, the Rajasthan authorities have managed to enrol less than five per cent of its unorganised workers in the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana

TMC again seeks permission to protest over withholding of MGNREGA funds

The Trinamool Congress has written fresh letters to the Delhi Police, seeking permission to hold demonstrations at three places in the national capital in early October to protest against the alleged withholding of funds under the rural jobs scheme by the Centre for West Bengal. TMC's Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien wrote three letters on September 6 to DCP Parliament Street Police station, New Delhi, seeking permission to organise dharnas at Jantar Mantar, outside Krishi Bhavan and in front of Union agriculture minister Giriraj Singh's residence on October 2 and October 3. In the letters, O'Brien requested the Delhi Police for permission for the Trinamool Congress to hold dharnas, involving workers from the state of Bengal, who have been denied wages under the MGNREGA scheme from 10 am to 6 pm on October 2 and 3 at Jantar Mantar, Krishi Bhavan and outside the minister's residence. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will lead the protests in New Delhi. The ruling par

MGNREGS work demand increases 20% on low August rains, shows data

This does not include the COVID-impacted years of 2020-21 and 2021-22 when work demand for August was higher

Deadline for mandatory use of Aadhaar-based payment for MGNREGS is Aug 31

The deadline for implementing Aadhaar-based payment system as the only mode of payment to workers under national rural job guarantee scheme MGNREGS will not be extended beyond August 31, government sources said. The Union government in January this year made the use of Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS) mandatory for paying wages to those enrolled under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The initial deadline for the mandatory adoption of ABPS mode was February 1, which was later extended to March 31, then till June 30, and eventually till August 31. However, officials in the rural development ministry said the deadline will not be extended any further as over 90 per cent of active workers' accounts have already been linked with Aadhaar. According to a statement issued by the ministry in June, out of the total 14.28 crore active beneficiaries, Aadhaar number has been seeded with 13.75 crore. A total of 12.17 crore Aadhaar numbers have been ..

Modi govt owes MGNREGA wages to 18 states, UTs: Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday claimed that the Modi government still owes Rs 6,366 crore in MGNREGA wages to 18 states and union territories in the country even after a one third cut in its budget. He also lauded the flagship rural employment guarantee programme MGNREGA introduced by the Congress on this day in 2005. "On this day in 2005, our Congress-UPA Government enacted MGNREGA to ensure 'Right to Work' to crores of people," he said. "Even though Modi Government has cut MGNREGA's budget by 33%, this year and it owes Rs 6,366 crore in MGNREGA wages to 18 States and Union Territories, yet this flagship programme started by the Congress party still supports 14.42 crore active workers, more than half of them are women," Kharge said on X. "MGNREGA was a lifesaver during the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic and acted as safety net to crores of workers, making up for 80% of their income loss during the pandemic," he also said. The Congress also said that on

Over 11.3 mn MGNREGA workers' bank accounts yet to be seeded with Aadhaar

Bank accounts of around 1.13 crore workers under the rural job scheme MGNREGA are yet to be seeded with their Aadhaar numbers, Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, the minister said wage payment to beneficiaries under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) may be made either using Aadhaar-based payment bridge systems or national automated clearing house depending upon the status of a beneficiary in the Aadhaar-based systems. He said that bank accounts of 1,13,86,599 workers, or 8.93 per cent of the total active workers, are yet to be seeded with their Aadhaar numbers. The minister said northeastern states are lagging behind in the process, with accounts of more than 42 per cent workers in Assam, around 23 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, over 70 per cent in Meghalaya, and 37 per cent in Nagaland not being seeded with Aadhaar numbers. To a question on "whether it is also a f

MGNREGS & PMJDY: States show positive correlation for women beneficiaries

Share of women in total bank deposits rises to over 20% in FY23

Over 50 mn MGNREGA job cards deleted in 2022-23: Govt tells Lok Sabha

More than five crore job cards under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) were cancelled in 2022-23, 247 per cent more than the number of deletions in 2021-22, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. In a written reply, Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh said in 2021-22, 1,49,51,247 MGNREGA job cards were deleted, while in 2022-23, 5,18,91,168 job cards were cancelled. West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were among the states which saw the highest number of deletions. In 2021-22, 1,57,309 job cards were deleted in West Bengal, while in the following year (2022-23), the number shot up by over 5,000 per cent as 83,36,115 job cards were deleted. In Andhra Pradesh, 6,25,514 job cards were deleted in 2021-22, which increased by 1,147 per cent in 2022-23, when 78,05,569 cards were cancelled. Similarly, in Telangana, 61,278 job cards were deleted in 2021-22, while 17,32,936 cards were deleted in 2022-23, an increase of 2,727 per cent. Gujarat ...

Asha workers, DBT beneficiaries in focus as govt preps for elections

For a government opposed to freebies, ensuring that benefits of its schemes come early will be politically crucial

K T Rama Rao demands MGNREGA-like job guarantee scheme for urban poor

Telangana minister and BRS working president K T Rama Rao demanded an MGNREGA-like job guarantee scheme for the urban poor in his meeting with Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri here on Saturday. Rao said the central government should announce such a scheme in the next budget to safeguard the interests of the urban poor, especially to protect their livelihoods and raise income. "I am of the firm view that meeting the needs of India's rising urban population is and will continue to be a critical strategic policy matter for all the national, states and city governments...," he said in a representation to the central government. "I would like to request the minister to consider introducing a National Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme (NUEGS) on the lines of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to help the urban poor in the country," he added. With the support of such an employment guarantee scheme, the state government can provi

CM Mann bats for optimum utilisation of MGNREGA, boost to rural development

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday batted for optimum utilisation of the MGNREGA scheme to give a boost to development in rural areas and provide livelihood opportunities. He was chairing a meeting here to review the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. The chief minister called the scheme important as it provides enhancement of livelihood security, giving at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household, whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. He said the scheme has been implemented in all districts across the state since April 2008, adding that the state government will enhance the budget of this ambitious scheme up to Rs 2,000 crore. It is heartening to learn that 11.53 lakh active job cards are there in the state, said an official release quoting Mann. He bemoaned that the wage rate notified under the scheme for the state is Rs 303 less in comparison to the neighbouring

MNREGA scam: SC defers bail plea hearing of suspended IAS officer's husband

The Supreme Court on Friday deferred to June 23 the hearing of the anticipatory bail plea of Abhishek Jha, the husband of suspended Jharkhand cadre IAS officer Pooja Singhal, in a money laundering case related to the alleged MNREGA scam in the state. Singhal, a 2000-batch IAS officer, is the main accused in the alleged scam involving embezzlement of public funds of Rs 18.07 crore when she was the deputy commissioner of Khunti district. A vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, which refused to grant any interim protection to Jha, said the allegations against him serious and it would be appropriate if he surrenders and seeks regular bail. The counsel appearing for Jha said he is a businessman and is seeking anticipatory bail as his daughter is suffering from serious ailments. This court, the lawyer said, has twice granted interim bail to his wife for taking care of their daughter. "All this you should have thought before indulging in these activities. We are

Calcutta HC seeks report from govt over non-release of MGNREGA funds to WB

HC sought report from Central govt over non-release of funds allotted to the West Bengal government under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act

MGNREGA work demand highest for May, barring pandemic year, shows data

In April 2023, around 24.06 million households had sought work under the scheme