Calcutta High Court Constitutes Committee For Wage Claims Verification Under MGNREGA Scheme

The Court in January this year directed the setting up of a four-member team for an expeditious verification of job cards of MGNREGA on a district-wise basis in West Bengal.

The bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya constituted 4 Member Team consisting of a senior officer from the Office of the Auditor and Comptroller General of India, one officer from the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, one officer from the Principal Accountant General, Audit-I, Government of West Bengal, and the Commissioner, Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, West Bengal.

A PIL was filed by the Paschim Banga Khet Majdoor Samiti in 2023 seeking the release of wages to genuine workers under the scheme in the State after the funds to West Bengal under the MGNREGA were stopped due to alleged misappropriation in the implementation of the scheme.

The Court stated that the respective Heads of Departments are at liberty to nominate the officers in respect of the first three categories and since the 4th Member was included by designation whoever occupies the position will be the 4th Member.

The Court further directed the Chief Secretary of the Government of West Bengal to nominate a Nodal Officer to coordinate the meetings of the Committee and select such officer bearing in mind the Cadre from which the four nominees to the Committee come. Adequate office arrangements shall be made to the Committee.

The Court also directed the state to ensure members’ free movement throughout the State for verification and whenever the verification process commences in a particular district, the District Magistrate of the concerned district the District Administration and the Police Administration shall ensure full cooperation to the Team to undertake the verification process smoothly.

The Court directed the necessary security arrangements be made for the team on their visit to various districts.

Finally, the Court directed the filing of a report on progress of the matter.

Cause Title: Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor samiti v. Union of India

Appearance:

Appellant: Adv. Purbayan Chakraborty, Adv. Kuntal Banerjee, Adv. Srijib Chakraborty, Adv. Anish Kumar Mukherjee, Adv. Suryaneel Das

Respondent: ASGI Asok Kumar Chakraborti, Adv. Kumar Jyoti Tiwari, Adv. Tirtha Pati Acharya, Adv. Arijit Majumdar, Adv. Anirban Ray, Adv. Jahar Lal De, Adv. Piyush Agarwal, Adv. Supratim Dhar, Adv. Parna Roy Chowdhary, Shrivalli Kajaria, Adv. Debojyoti Das, Adv. Dhiraj Trivedi, Adv. Ayanabha Raha, Adv. Suman Basu

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