The Bengal government will disburse Rs 2,650 crore to clear the due wages under the 100 days' scheme of the state, starting Monday, and the process has to be completed by Friday.

The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has been sanctioned Rs 129.42 crore for disbursement of due wages. The GTA covers Kalimpong district and the hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Mirik sub-divisions of Darjeeling district.

The panchayat and rural development department has issued a sanction order to the district magistrates of 21 districts and to the GTA principal secretary to start the disbursement process immediately.

“Sanction is hereby accorded for release of Rs 2650,60,18,049.00 (Rupees Two thousand six hundred fifty crore sixty lakh eighteen thousand forty-nine) only...”, the order issued by the commissioner of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) of the state government states.

The respective district magistrates and GTA principal secretary have been asked to make arrangements to disburse the respective amounts to around 21 lakh-odd beneficiaries of Bengal through direct benefit transfer (DBT) to verified bank accounts of identified wage seekers under the MGNREGS.

“The payment process should start from 26th February 2024 onwards and be completed by 1st March 2024,” the order reads.

Utilisation certificates have to be submitted to the panchayat and rural department immediately after the completion of the disbursement process.

Sources said the state panchayat department had prepared a list of labourers who had not received their due wages since December 2021, when the Centre stopped the release of funds under the 100 days' job scheme after alleging financial irregularities in the execution of the project in Bengal.

The disbursement of dues just ahead of the Lok Sabha election is expected to reap dividends for the ruling Trinamul.

Sources said Trinamul leaders and cadres have been activated to ensure that a clear message goes to beneficiaries that the Bengal government was crediting the dues with the Centre withholding funds.

Sources said that SoPs had been issued by the department to ensure the message was disseminated effectively from the state government.

“Trained manpower will be deployed under the supervision of a Dy. Magistrate/Senior Officer, in the control rooms for calling every MGNREGS worker.... They may be informed about the state’s initiative in providing relief from the state’s own fund and ensure that wage is credited to the right person,” read an SoP sent to district administrations by the state panchayat department.

In the Darjeeling hills, the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), an ally of Trinamul, reacted to the wage disbursement by the state government by thanking chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

“Kindly remember this amount was supposed to come from Central Govt. But they have stopped our sweat money. (Darjeeling) MP Raju Bista (of the BJP) in the media had clearly boasted that he has stopped the payments of our people’s work. On behalf of the GTA I thank Madam CM Mamata Banerjee for addressing the woes of people,” Anit Thapa, the BGPM chief and GTA chief executive, said in a written statement.