Lok Sabha Question No. 2805 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-18
Subject: Fund under MGNREGA
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Muhammed Hamdullah Sayeed, Shri Kalipada Saren Kherwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2805 ANSWERED ON 18/03/2025

## FUND UNDER MGNREGA

## 2805. SHRI MUHAMMED HAMDULLAH SAYEED: SHRI KALIPADA SAREN KHERWAL:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the release of funds under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS)  has  been withheld/delayed in recent years for West Bengal and Lakshadweep, if so, the reasons therefor and the steps taken to streamline payment process;
- (b) the details of funds actually released under the scheme to the West Bengal and Lakshadweep since 2019, district-wise;
- (c) the claim of the State for release of funds pending upto March 2025, the details thereof, district-wise;
- (d) the  details  of  amount  pending  for  Jhargram,  Purulia  and PaschimMedinipur districts in West Bengal under the MGNREGS, district-wise; and
- (e) the  total  number  of  person-days  generated  under  the  said scheme in West Bengal and Lakshadweep during the last three years, year-wise?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a)to(d): As per the provisions of the Mahatma Gandhi NREG Act, 2005, it  is  the  responsibility  of  the  State  Government  to  ensure transparency  and  accountability in the implementation  of the scheme.  In  case  of  the  State  of  West  Bengal,  based  on central teams' inspection  reports  highlighting the  implementation  issues such as financial misappropriation, execution of non-permissible activities, splitting of works, lack of transparency & accountability, the Ministry sent several communications to the State for rectification  of  the  same.  However,  no  noticeable improvements

were observed. Consequently, release of funds to the State of West Bengal has been stopped since March 9, 2022, under Section 27 of the Act due to non-compliance with Central Government directives.

With  regard  to  material  component,  States/UTs  are  required  to furnish  funds  release  proposals  to  the  Government  of  India.  The Central  Government   releases  funds  periodically  in  two  tranches with each tranche consisting of one or more installments, keeping in view the 'agreed to' Labour Budget, demand for works, opening balance,  pace  of  utilization  of  funds,  pending  liabilities,  overall performance  and  subject  to  submission  of  relevant  documents  by the  States/UTs.  Fund  release  to  the  States/UTs  is  a  continuous process  and  Central  Government  is  committed  in  making  funds available to States/UTs for the implementation of the Scheme as per the demand for work on the ground.

While, wage payments are directly credited by the Central Government  to  the  account  of  beneficiaries  through  the  Direct Benefit Transfer protocol, the release of material and admin funds is made  to  the  State  Government/UT  Administration  which  in  turn releases  the  funds  to  its  Districts  accordingly.  The  government  of India  does  not  release  material  and  admin  funds  directly  to  the Districts.

Details  of  funds  released  to  Union  Territory  (UT)  of  Lakshadweep and State of West Bengal under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS in the last five  financial  years  and  current  financial  years  2024-25  (as  on 12.03.2025) are given below:

|                            | Central funds released (Rs. in crore)   | Central funds released (Rs. in crore)   |
|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| Financial Year             | Funds released to UT of Lakshadweep     | State of West Bengal                    |
| 2019-20                    | 0.24                                    | 8,507.61                                |
| 2020-21                    | -                                       | 11,454.05                               |
| 2021-22                    | 0.30                                    | 7,507.80                                |
| 2022-23                    | -                                       | -                                       |
| 2023-24                    | -                                       | -                                       |
| 2024-25 (as on 12.03.2025) | 0.31                                    | -                                       |

There is no pending liability in respect of the Union Territory (UT) of Lakshadweep under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS.

In  the  case of West Bengal, the pending amount up to 09 th  March, 2022, is Rs. 3,038 Crore.

(e): Details  of  persondays  generated  in  Lakshadweep  and  West Bengal States during the last three financial years are given below:

|                | Persondays generated ( in lakh)   | Persondays generated ( in lakh)   | Persondays generated ( in lakh)   |
|----------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| Financial Year | 2023-24                           | 2022-23                           | 2021-22                           |
| Lakshadweep    | 0.04                              | 0.05                              | 0.01                              |
| West Bengal    | 1.65                              | 378.75                            | 3642.15                           |

As per information available on NREGASoft.

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