Calcutta HC directs Centre to resume MGNREGA in Bengal from August

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Union government to resume the implementation of the 100-day job scheme under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in West Bengal from August 1, 2025, without fail.

The order was issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chattopadhyay in response to a petition filed by the Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samiti (West Bengal Agricultural Workers’ Forum), which accused the Centre of withholding funds under the scheme.

While mandating the resumption of the programme, the court also permitted the Centre to impose necessary conditions on the West Bengal government to ensure corruption-free implementation. Additionally, the bench authorised the Centre to disburse funds directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries if needed.

To further strengthen accountability, the court allowed the Union government to oversee the scheme's implementation and continue investigations into past instances of corruption. The ruling also addressed a separate petition filed by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who had raised concerns about large-scale irregularities in the execution of the scheme in the state.

For the past three years, the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has accused the Union government of withholding MGNREGA funds, alleging political bias. In contrast, the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have maintained that the fund freeze resulted from widespread corruption within the state’s execution of the scheme.

In previous years, Union government field teams conducted inspections across multiple districts in West Bengal to verify corruption allegations related to the scheme’s implementation. The High Court’s directive now compels the Centre to proceed with the scheme while retaining stringent oversight mechanisms.

With IANS inputs