The Mamata Banerjee government has started a process to recover funds from panchayat functionaries after complaints of embezzlement under MGNREGA reached Nabanna.

The move, sources said, sends a message to functionaries in both rural and urban bodies that the top brass of the government won’t take complaints of embezzlements lightly.

The recovery process has also established allegations that funds were indeed misappropriated under the 100 days’ job scheme in some areas.

According to a report by the state panchayat department, the state government has so far recovered Rs 32.82 lakh from the panchayat functionaries of 12 districts from where complaints had come.

“The panchayat department has fixed a target of recovering Rs 2.49 crore based on reports of the central teams that have visited the state since 2019. Though the state could recover only Rs 32.82 lakh so far, it can be said that the process has started,” said a senior government official.

A major portion of the funds will have to be recovered from panchayat functionaries of Trinamul, which controls more than 90 per cent of 3,300-odd rural bodies.

“The ruling party will face panchayat polls in the next few months. In such a situation, recovering funds from panchayat functionaries will make them hostile. It takes courage for the ruling party to take such a step against panchayat functionaries ahead of the rural polls...” said a bureaucrat.

According to the panchayat department list, most irregularities were noticed in Birbhum from where the state has to recover Rs 1.15 crore, but not a one rupee has come from that district as of now.

“Interestingly, the state could not recover a single rupee from the district, which is the fiefdom of Anubrata Mondal, currently lodged in the Asansol correctional home, after the CBI arrested him in connection with the cattle smuggling case," said another official.

The state government has recovered a maximum of Rs 2.88 lakh from Murshidabad.

The state government is laying stress on recovering the remaining Rs 2.16 crore as early as possible.

Some officials said that the state government was forced to go for funds recovery after the Centre froze funds citing irregularities in the MGNREGA schemes and stressed on recovering the misappropriated amount.

“The ruling establishment knows that if the Centre does not release funds under the MGNREGA immediately, they will face questions from the rural populace ahead of the panchayat polls as the schemes (taken up) under MGNREGA provide livelihood opportunities to nearly 1.5 crore job card holders in Bengal,” said an official.