West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose met with a Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation led by party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Monday. During the meeting, the Governor assured them that he would take up the issue of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) dues with the central government.
“The delegation headed by Abhishek Banerjee called on the governor at the Raj Bhavan at 4 pm and submitted a memorandum on MGNREGA. The governor gave a patient hearing and said the matter will be brought to the notice of the government of India and whatever is required for the welfare of the people of Bengal will be done,” the official said.
Shortly after the development, Banerjee announced that his party has withdrawn the five-day-long sit-in over the MGNREGA issue outside the Raj Bhavan. "We are withdrawing the sit-in outside Raj Bhavan for the time being. We have told the governor to let us know within two weeks (on the MGNREGA issue)," he said.
TMC delegation hands letter to Governor
During their 20-minute-long meeting with the Governor, the TMC delegation presented a two-page letter in which they requested his assistance in resolving the ongoing issue of unpaid wages to more than 21 lakh deprived individuals in Bengal who have earned their livelihood through the MGNREGA program. “We look forward to you as the governor of the state to safeguard the interests of both the state and its people,” the TMC said in its letter signed by Abhishek Banerjee.
TMC leaders protesting at Raj Bhavan
The TMC leaders have been staging a sit-in protest outside Raj Bhavan in Kolkata for five consecutive days, calling for the settlement of West Bengal's pending dues under the MGNREGA program.
The Ministry of Rural Development on October 5 had stated that the release of funds for West Bengal was stopped from March 9, 2022, in accordance with Section 27 of MGNREGA because of the state's non-compliance with directives of the Central government.
(With PTI inputs)
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