The panchayat department has asked district magistrates to review ongoing projects under the Centre’s 100 days’ job scheme and close incomplete projects where possible.

The directive came as a surprise for district officials as this is the first time that the state government is announcing a premature closure on projects under the rural jobs scheme that began under the UPA regime in February 2006.

“It was requested to review the ongoing MGNREGA works, which are pending beyond their due completion period, and wherever feasible close those work,” reads an order by the panchayat department.

The Centre stopped release of funds to Bengal under the job scheme since April, citing misappropriation of funds in implementing the scheme at the grassroots.

Multiple sources in Nabanna said the top brass in the administration decided on the closure of incomplete projects after due consideration.

A senior official said that the initiative to close as many incomplete schemes as possible will keep the “slate clean”.

“Often it is found that the Centre and the state are at loggerheads over incomplete projects. The state does not want any more trouble over MGNREGA funds. This is why we want to close as many incomplete schemes as possible so that they do not pose problems when discussions on fresh allocations begin,” said a senior government official.

Sources said the main criteria for closing incomplete projects will be based on whether a project has served some part of its stated purpose. “So if a concrete road was to be built in a village and half of it could be completed so far, the project can be closed if the incomplete road is serving its purpose for some people at least,” said an official.

But although the state is preparing the ground for fresh MGNREGA jobs, it is still not clear when funds will arrive.

“No word has come from Delhi so far. But the way the state is closing down incomplete projects, it appears that the state is not expecting funds under the scheme anytime soon,” said a senior bureaucrat.

There had been a hint that the state may not get central funds soon when the chief minister asked her ministers during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday to ensure that all the departments should engage more and more job card holders in schemes being carried out by them.

“The chief minister said that the departments should lay stress on engaging more and more job card holders in the schemes being carried by the departments in absence of the 100 days job scheme. This gives a hint that the Centre is not likely to release funds under the scheme soon," said a minister.