Legal battle over MGNREGS in Bengal, what happens after SC's order, Pg16.

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the resumption of the MGNREGS in West Bengal after a 3.5-year suspension.
• The central government had halted funds to West Bengal from March 9, 2022, citing non-compliance with central directives.
• The apex court dismissed the Centre’s plea challenging the Calcutta High Court’s order to restart the scheme from August 1, 2025.
• Before suspension, West Bengal had 51 to 80 lakh families availing the scheme annually between 2014-15 and 2021-22.

MGNREGA Budget Estimates (BE) FY2021–FY2026.png

Detailed Insights:

• The MGNREGS guarantees 100 days of wage employment to rural adults willing to do unskilled work, with funding shared between the Centre and states.
• The Centre stopped funds due to alleged financial misappropriation and lack of transparency, as stated by the Minister of State of Rural Development.
• The West Bengal government claims approximately Rs 18,000 crore is pending under MGNREGS, PMAY-G, and PMGSY, while the Centre estimates around Rs 13,90 crore pending for MGNREGS and PMAY-G.
• Resumption requires clearing West Bengal’s labor budget by the Empowered Committee, which approves the anticipated demand for unskilled manual work.
• The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) may now proceed with procedural requirements to resume the scheme following the Supreme Court’s decision.

Key Concepts Involved:

• MGNREGS: Aims to enhance livelihood security of households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
• Labour Budget: An estimation of the demand for unskilled manual work and the list of associated tasks to be undertaken during a financial year.
• PMAY-G: Aims to provide a pucca house with basic amenities to all rural families, who are homeless or living in dilapidated houses.