Amit Malviya of BJP Challenges Trinamool's Claims on MGNREGA Funds in Bengal
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Synopsis
Amit Malviya, BJP's IT Cell Chief, challenges Trinamool Congress and CM Mamata Banerjee's claims about MGNREGA funds not being released to West Bengal, citing corruption and mismanagement as the reasons for fund withholding.
Key Takeaways
- Amit Malviya dismisses Trinamool's claims on fund issues.
- Corruption and mismanagement cited as reasons for fund withholding.
- Central teams found irregularities in West Bengal's MGNREGA implementation.
- State government failed to act against corrupt officials.
- Funds will be reinstated once transparency is ensured.
Kolkata, March 25 (NationPress) Amit Malviya, the Chief of BJP's IT Cell and the party's central observer for West Bengal, on Tuesday dismissed the assertions made by the Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the non-disbursement of funds for the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
In a statement shared on his official X account, Malviya asserted that the Union government had to suspend MGNREGA funds for West Bengal because of rampant corruption and severe mismanagement by the state administration.
He noted, "Various central teams inspected four districts—Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, Darjeeling, and Malda—between 2019 and 2021 to evaluate the scheme's implementation. These investigations revealed extensive irregularities and financial misappropriation, prompting recommendations for recovering funds from corrupt officials and Panchayati Raj institution members involved in these malpractices," he stated.
Malviya also indicated that the state administration failed to act against the implicated officials or initiate efforts to recover the embezzled funds despite repeated directives from the Union government.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the Union government felt compelled to withhold funds under the scheme, resulting in an order to cease the funds issued on March 9, 2022.
According to Malviya, the decision to halt the funds was made in accordance with Section 27 of the MGNREGA Act, 2005, which empowers the Union government to issue necessary directions to the state for effective implementation and to stop fund releases in cases of improper use.
Malviya placed the blame for this predicament squarely on CM Mamata Banerjee, asserting that her administration failed to guarantee transparency, allowing corruption to thrive at the expense of the impoverished and marginalized workers who rely on MGNREGA for their livelihoods.
"The accountability for this cessation of funds rests entirely on her administration, which prioritizes political cover-ups over the well-being of the populace. The funds will only be reinstated once West Bengal fully adheres to corrective measures, recovers misappropriated funds, and holds the culpable officials accountable," Malviya concluded.
