Government Informs Calcutta HC on Recovered MGNREGA Funds in Bengal
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Synopsis
The Union government has informed the Calcutta High Court about the recovery of misappropriated MGNREGA funds in West Bengal, amounting to Rs 2.20 crore. The court has requested a detailed report by April 15, highlighting issues of fund misuse and the need to ensure rightful beneficiaries receive their due.
Key Takeaways
- Union government reported Rs 2.20 crore recovered.
- Funds misappropriated in four districts of West Bengal.
- Next report due to the court by April 15.
- Focus on ensuring benefits reach entitled individuals.
- Payments halted to Bengal since 2022 due to misappropriation.
Kolkata, April 10 (NationPress) On Thursday, the Union government provided an update to a division bench of the Calcutta High Court regarding the recovered funds allocated under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which had been allegedly misappropriated in West Bengal.
According to the information presented by the Union government's counsel at the division bench, led by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chattopadhyay, a total of Rs 2.20 crore in misused MGNREGA funds has been reclaimed from just four districts of West Bengal.
The bench instructed the Union Ministry of Rural Development to provide a comprehensive report on the issue to the court by April 15.
During the proceedings, additional solicitor general Ashoke Chakraborty informed the bench that preliminary estimates indicated total misappropriated funds in the four districts—East Burdwan, Hooghly, Malda, and areas within the Darjeeling district under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA)—amounted to Rs 5.37 crore, from which the recovery total stands at Rs 2.20 crore.
The bench remarked that the Union government holds the power to intervene in cases of corruption regarding the utilization of funds under any central scheme. The main allegation concerning the misappropriation of funds in these districts was that individuals entitled to benefits were denied access, while funds were diverted to ineligible recipients.
The bench also noted that the Union government should ensure that the recovered funds are distributed to the rightful beneficiaries who were deprived.
Since 2022, the Union government has halted payments under the MGNREGA scheme to the West Bengal government due to extensive misappropriations in fund utilization.
Conversely, the state government and the ruling Trinamool Congress have consistently accused the Union government of withholding the state’s rightful share of Central funds.
