Central dues to Bengal under MGNREGA still at Rs 7,000 crore: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that the total central dues to the state government under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) currently stands at Rs 7,000 crore.

"I feel sad that the Union government is depriving us on this count. Had they given at least something, I would have admitted that. I will once again appeal to the Union government to release the funds for payment under the 100-day job scheme. Kindly do not deprive the poor people of their legitimate dues," she said while addressing an administrative review meeting at Panchla in Howrah district.

The Chief Minister also claimed that despite being deprived of the central funds under the MGNREGA scheme, the state government had been able to create 10 lakh man-days, under which jobs have been provided to 10 lakh of job-card holders.

As regards to the housing scheme, she said that the Union government wants to take the sole credit of the scheme. "But the reality is that both the Union and the state governments have their shares of contribution under this scheme," she said.

Banerjee also said that despite the Union government's reluctance to release central funds, the state government is determined to go ahead with its project for developing the rural road network in the state. "We have chalked out a plan with a corpus of Rs 2,000 crore on this count. Many of you have deposits in banks. There is no guarantee of security of these deposits as well," she said.

Without naming industrialist Gautam Adani, she attacked the Union government as she said that it is uncertain the hard-earned money of the people in Life Insurance Corporation of India is facing a major loss threat. "People are worried about whether they would get back the money invested in LIC, since that money is going to the kitty of a section of the industrialists."

She also alleged that since BJP is unable to combat Trinamool Congress politically they are using central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).