West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday slammed the “disinformation campaign” run by the Centre regarding the release of MGNREGA funds and accused the dispensation of not releasing the withheld funds to the state.

In a post on X, she said, “I detect a deliberate disinformation campaign regarding Central release of funds in MGNREGA. Despite our vigorous movements and submission of detailed factual records and accounts, the Centre has been dragging its feet and has not released any withheld fund whatsoever at all.”

She claimed that misinformation is being spread to befool the people and malign the state government.

“The misinformation is being spread to befool people and to spread confusion, and to malign the State Government. We need, deserve, and are entitled to our rightful share. We continue to be unfairly deprived, despite leaking of false information here and there,” she added.

I detect a deliberate disinformation campaign regarding Central release of funds in MGNREGA.

Despite our vigorous movements and submission of detailed factual records and accounts, the Centre has been dragging its feet and has not released any withheld fund whatsoever at all.…

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 2, 2023

Banerjee on Wednesday warned the Union government of a fresh agitation if the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) funds for West Bengal were not released in 15 days. She said her party leaders and supporters will meet on November 16 to decide the next course of action.

Hundreds of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, supporters and MGNREGA job card holders held a mega rally in Delhi last month over the alleged delay in the release of MGNREGA funds to the state government.

On October 5, TMC leaders led by Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee sat on a dharna outside Raj Bhawan in Kolkata. However, they called off the stir after Governor C V Ananda Bose assured them that he would raise the issue with the Centre within 24 hours.

Later, the Governor said he intimated Banerjee of the positive response he received from a central minister, who had directed the authorities concerned to take necessary action.

“The first authority in Bengal to know about the result of my letter to the Government of India, is my constitutional colleague, the chief minister. I have intimated (to) her the positive response which I received from the (central) minister. He has issued instructions to those concerned to take necessary action in the matter,” Bose said on the sidelines of an event in Kolkata.