Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the Trinamul Congress would hold demonstrations in all 341 blocks in Bengal on August 6 to protest against the Centre’s pause on the release of funds under several rural development schemes, including the 100-day job plan.

“We had performed well in the 100-day job scheme, and rural road and rural housing schemes in the past. I knew that good performers are never punished. But the Centre has not given due wages of Rs 7,000 crore under the 100-day job scheme and even it did not allot any funds for the scheme in 2023-24.... Demonstrations will be carried out in all blocks between 12 noon and 4pm on August 6 to protest against the Centre’s decision,” said the chief minister at Nabanna on Wednesday.

Mamata said the Centre had also stopped the release of funds under rural schemes to build roads and houses.

She said Trinamul's movement against the Centre’s approach would be carried out in phases. The first will be the demonstrations in all the blocks. The second will be a programme announced by Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamul's national general secretary. He said party workers would march in Delhi. The third step will be announced by the party soon.

Sources have said it is now clear that Trinamul has plans to mount pressure on the BJP-led Centre gradually ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“The party has sensed that the rural populace is not happy with the Centre’s decision to withhold funds. The ruling party is ready to use the issue as a tool against the BJP-led Centre ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” said a Trinamul leader.

The chief minister had earlier announced that the state could take up schemes like the 100-day job scheme and rural housing scheme even if the Centre did not release funds.

Sources in the state administration said Mamata had taken up a two-pronged approach to use the situation in her party’s favour.

First, she will try to extend the benefits of the schemes to as many as beneficiaries as possible with the state’s limited resources. And second, she will launch agitation against the BJP-led centre to catch the BJP on wrong-foot ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“It is clear that the state may not provide benefits to the maximum number of beneficiaries in absence of the central funds. If she continues agitation against the centre on this issue, the ruling party might reap the benefit in 2024 Lok Sabha polls”, a source said.