Kolkata, Nov. 6 -- Following the Supreme Court's dismissal of the Centre's special leave petition, which removed the final roadblock to the resumption of MGNREGA, the Bengal government has initiated preparations to restart the 100-day work scheme.
According to sources, the State Panchayat and Rural Development Department has begun setting up the required infrastructure to comply with the apex court's order.
District administrations have been directed to verify job card details and update e-KYC records to facilitate the scheme's revival, which has remained stalled for nearly three years. The government is likely to resume operations soon, officials said.
Meanwhile, several agricultural workers' unions have warned of protests if MGNREGA is not resumed in the state by December 2025. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused the BJP-led Centre of continuing its "vendetta politics" by blocking Bengal's dues. Calling it an "economic conspiracy" against the state, TMC leaders alleged that despite the Supreme Court's order for immediate resumption, the Centre remains apathetic.
TMC claimed that while Bengal's records show Rs 6,919 crore in unpaid dues under MGNREGA, the Centre's online portal lists only Rs 6,002 crore - a Rs 917 crore shortfall. The Centre had stopped releasing funds in January 2022, leading to the loss of 114.64 crore person-days of work and unpaid wages for 58.87 lakh labourers.
Accusing the Centre of imposing an "economic blockade" after failing to defeat it politically, a senior TMC leader said the BJP was "weaponising deprivation".
Prior to the Supreme Court verdict, the Calcutta High Court had already directed the scheme's resumption from August 1. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee asserted that the Union government had to "bow to the will of the people of West Bengal".
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.