The Aryavarth Express
Agency (West Bengal): Flagging the meager 5% hike in MGNREGS wage rates for West Bengal, TMC leader Saket Gokhale denounced it as a clear manifestation of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) animosity towards the state. Gokhale highlighted the disparity in wage increases among states, with West Bengal receiving the lowest hike compared to others.
Citing the notification issued by the Union rural development ministry regarding the revised wage rates for the rural employment scheme, Gokhale pointed out that while Bihar received over 7% hike, states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh saw increases of more than 9%, and Andhra Pradesh received over 10%.
Accusing the BJP of targeting West Bengal, Gokhale emphasized the withholding of over Rs 7,000 crore of MGNREGA wage dues and condemned the disparity in wage hikes between BJP-ruled states and West Bengal. He labeled it as another instance of BJP’s bias against Bengal and predicted a strong backlash from the people in the upcoming elections.
The notification issued by the BJP-led Centre on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) wage rates revealed revisions ranging between 4 and 10% for different states. West Bengal, governed by TMC, saw its wage increased to Rs 250, reflecting a hike of Rs 13.
However, amidst the controversy, it’s worth noting that funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for West Bengal have been halted since March 9, 2022. The rural development ministry attributed this halt to non-compliance with the Centre’s directives, citing section 27 of the Act.
As the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is enforced for the Lok Sabha polls, the revised wage rates were notified by the rural development ministry after clearance from the Election Commission (EC).