With the alleged lack of jobs and wages for MGNREGA workers in three districts of West Bengal, the Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity (PBKMS), based on the report of a fact-finding committee, has warned that these workers are facing an acute food security crisis and demanded that West Bengal government set up a provisional fund of Rs 3,500 crore, ensuring the workers are not deprived each time the central funds get delayed.

The PBKMS warned that in three districts of Bengal, namely Purulia, South 24-Parganas, and Nadia, the NREGA workers barely found any work in the year 2022-23. This, if not addressed, may soon create a law and order disruption in the state. It added that the lack of funds from the Centre, for wages, has endangered their lives. The most affected section among these workers is the women, especially widows.

The samity pointed out that the lack of MGNREGA jobs and wages in these three districts has threatened the food security of these workers who are also not able to secure loans from the cooperative banks, forcing them to approach money lenders that are exploiting them by lending with heavy interest rates.

“The lack of jobs has forced these workers to migrate desperately in search of jobs, even if it pays them a meagre amount, less than MGNREGA wages. In the last six months, several families from these district villages migrated, thus impacting the village economy. In South 24-Parganas, the stoppage of embankment and irrigation works has spelt doom for them.”

In their demand list, the samity mentioned that West Bengal and the Central government must begin an exchange of information on the government level on the plight of these workers and publish the findings of the fact-finding committee, which visited the state recently. It demanded that the central government approve the 2022-23 West Bengal labour budget to ensure work is allotted and the same needs to be ensured by the state government.

Further, the central government needs to clear pending funds, worth Rs 2,600 crore, and as per the MGNREGA Act, pay compensation of 0.05 per cent on daily wages. “The West Bengal government has to pay allowances to the MGNREGA workers and set up a provisional fund of Rs 3,500 crore so they are not deprived of wages each time the funds from the Centre get delayed.”