Mamata accuses Centre of spreading misinformation on MGNREGA funds

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Union government of spreading misinformation about funds released under the MGNREGA scheme.

“I detect a deliberate disinformation campaign regarding Central release of funds in MGNREGA,” the Chief Minister said in a message posted on her official X handle on Thursday.

In her message, she also accused the Centre of deliberately spreading such misinformation to mislead the people of West Bengal as well as to malign the state government.

“The misinformation is being spread to befool people and to spread confusion, and to malign the state government,” her message read.

According to the Chief Minister, despite Trinamool Congress’ movement against non-payment of MGNREGA dues and submission of factual records and accounts, the Union government has maintained its total reluctance in releasing the legitimate funds due to the state government.

“We need, deserve, and are entitled to our rightful share. We continue to be unfairly deprived, despite leaking of false information here and there,” Banerjee said.

The pending MGNREGA dues have been a contentious issue between the Centre and the West Bengal government for quite some time now.

In fact, a Trinamool delegation led by the party’s national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee had staged a dharna at the office of the Union Minister of State for Rural Development recently demanding immediate release of funds under the scheme.

Abhishek Banerjee also staged a dharna in front of the Governor’s House in Kolkata before Durga Puja on the same issue.

The Centre, on the other hand, has claimed that there have been massive irregularities in the implementation of the scheme in the state, which was evident in the detection of several fake job cards figuring in crores.

The BJP leadership has also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.