The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Union government to resume implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, or MNREGS, in West Bengal from August 1, Live Law reported.

The Union Rural Development Ministry suspended MGNREGS funding to West Bengal in March 2022, citing widespread irregularities and alleged violations of the scheme’s implementation rules by the state government.

West Bengal received Rs 7,507.8 crore in the financial year 2021-’22 under MGNREGS but has received no funds in the following three financial years, the Hindustan Times reported.

On Wednesday, a division bench comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee (Das) was hearing a case on the non-payment of MGNREGS dues to daily wage labourers after the Union government’s allegations.

The bench said that the Union and state governments may impose special conditions to prevent irregularities that marred the scheme’s implementation, but it must be restarted prospectively.

The court said that it was not in dispute that certain irregularities have been pointed out by the Centre in the disbursement of wages under the MGNREGS, according to PTI.

While the Centre retains authority to investigate alleged misappropriations, this does not justify an indefinite suspension of the program, added the bench.

“All these allegations are from before 2022, you do whatever you want, but implement the scheme,” it further said.

MNREGS was introduced in 2005 by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance and is aimed at enhancing the livelihood security of households in rural areas. The scheme guarantees 100 days of unskilled work annually for every rural household that wants it, covering all districts in the country.

Explained: Why the Centre has not paid MGNREGA wages in Bengal for a year