TMC Disputes FM Sitharaman's Statements on MGNREGA Job Cards in Bengal
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Synopsis
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has disputed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's claims regarding the deletion of fake job cards under MGNREGA, asserting that only a fraction of the reported deletions occurred in West Bengal compared to other states.
Key Takeaways
- TMC contests claims of 25 lakh fake job cards.
- Only 5,651 job cards were deleted in two financial years.
- West Bengal's deletion numbers are lower than several other states.
- Criticism of central health insurance scheme's eligibility criteria.
- Jal Jeevan Mission criticized for underutilization of funds.
Kolkata, Feb 11 (NationPress) The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has strongly contested the assertions made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during a recent Parliamentary session, concerning the alleged deletion of 25 lakh 'fake job cards' associated with the 100-day employment initiative of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The TMC released a counter-statement through its official X (formerly Twitter) account, referencing a prior response from Union Minister of State Sadhvi Niranjan, which indicated that only 5,651 fake job cards were removed over the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Furthermore, the TMC pointed out that the number of deletions in West Bengal is significantly lower than the figures reported for states like Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar.
“Why is Bengal being unfairly targeted? Why was funding for MGNREGA in Bengal halted while states with far greater deletions continue to receive financial support? @VJP4India is neglecting the poor, undermining livelihoods, and propagating misinformation to rationalize their ECONOMIC BLOCKADE,” the TMC's statement emphasized.
In another post on its official X account, the TMC elaborated on why the West Bengal government is pursuing its own health insurance initiative rather than adopting the central scheme, Ayushman Bharat.
According to the TMC, the central scheme has strict eligibility guidelines, causing millions to be excluded from essential healthcare coverage.
The statement also cited that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has highlighted significant 'discrepancies' in the application of the central scheme. Conversely, the TMC asserted that West Bengal's health insurance program is effectively providing universal healthcare for 2.45 crore families in the state.
In a third statement, the TMC criticized the Union government’s “Jal Jeevan Mission”, labeling it a total failure, with only Rs 21,544 crore utilized out of a total allocation of Rs 70,162 crore.
According to the TMC, states such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh are among the most affected.
IANS
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