In a powerful show of solidarity, over 4700 NREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005) workers from across India have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the immediate resumption of NREGA work in West Bengal. This united effort comes after the Central Government halted NREGA funding for West Bengal in December 2021, invoking Section 27 of the Act, leading to a complete freeze on NREGA projects and leaving workers without their hard-earned wages for nearly three years.
As part of a nation-wide postcard campaign organized by the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha, workers from states across the country not only wrote letters to the Prime Minister but also contributed one rupee each toward the NREGA budget for West Bengal. The postcards, addressed directly to PM Modi, carry a clear and bold message: “If the Union Government cannot release the NREGA budget for West Bengal, we, the workers of India, will raise the money ourselves. We demand that NREGA work in West Bengal be resumed immediately.”
| State | Workers Union / Organisation | Postcards Sent |
| Bihar | Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan, Jan Vikas Shakti Sangathan, Pravasi Mazdoor Sangathan | 800+ postcards |
| Uttar Pradesh | Sangatin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan | 500+ postcards |
| Jharkhand | Khadya Suraksha Jan Adhikar Manch | 200+ postcards |
| Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan | 500+ postcards |
| Gujarat | Anna Suraksha Adhikar Abhiyan | 2500+ postcards |
| Andhra Pradesh | Ambedkarijame Punadi | 100+ postcards |
| Telangana | Dalit Bahujan Front | 100+ postcards |
On August 5, 2024, a 15-member delegation representing various worker unions met with the Secretary for Rural Development Shailesh Kumar, pressing for the immediate release of funds and the restart of NREGA work in West Bengal. The delegation expressed deep concern that despite the passage of more than two and a half years since the fund-freeze, there has been no credible investigation into the alleged irregularities that led to the stoppage of funds, nor has anyone been held accountable for the ongoing disruption in the state.
In addition, worker delegations have met with key political figures, including Members of Parliament such as Dr. V. Sivadasan, Amra Ram, Raju Bista, Adv. Bikash Bhattacharya, Manish Tamang, Shashikanth Senthil and Prakash Chik Baraikand, urging them to raise the issue in Parliament as a matter of urgency. The impact on workers has been devastating, with forced migration, widespread hunger and malnutrition, increased suicide rates, and deepening of poverty among already vulnerable rural households in West Bengal. Workers’ representatives have not yet succeeded in securing a meeting with the Union Minister of Rural Development despite their persistent efforts to reach out to the Minister. This lack of response from the top levels of government has further fuelled the frustration of workers who are caught in the crossfire of alleged administrative irregularities and government inaction.
Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Calcutta High Court stepped in in April 2024 and constituted a four-member committee to verify the authenticity of NREGA work previously conducted in West Bengal in response to a petition filed by Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity (W.P.A. (P) 237 of 2023). While the court’s decision to investigate the irregularities is welcome, such processes should not come at the expense of millions of workers who are being unfairly deprived of their right to work. For the ongoing suspension effectively punishes millions of innocent workers for alleged irregularities in the past—a crime they never committed. More than 3500 demand applications for work were registered in West Bengal in September 2024 alone, underscoring the urgent need for NREGA work to resume. However, with the Central Government’s refusal to release funds, these demands have been met through the state-sponsored employment programme, ‘Karmashree’.
On September 23, 2024, nearly 100 NREGA workers led by the Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity gathered at the BJP state headquarters in Kolkata for a ‘Gherao’ programme. Although no senior party officials were present to meet with the protesters, the office assured them that their concerns would be taken up at the BJP state committee meeting scheduled for September 26.
The protest in Kolkata is part of a broader wave of actions taking place across the country. On Sunday, September 28, 2024, hundreds of NREGA workers from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha will converge in Ranchi to stage a mass protest. The workers, who will gather at Ranchi’s Raj Bhawan at 11 am, demand that the Centre roll back its anti-labour, anti-poor policies and implement the MGNREGA in the true spirit of the law.
