100 Days Work: Big Win for State! Supreme Court Upholds High Court Order, 100 Days’ Work Returns to West Bengal

100 days work: In a piece of major relief for lakhs of labourers in West Bengal, the Supreme Court of India has upheld the Calcutta High Court’s order directing the Central Government to release funds for the 100 days’ work scheme (MGNREGA). This verdict paves the way for the resumption of the scheme in the state. Complying with the court’s directive, Nabanna (the state secretariat) has already begun preparations to restart the work from August 1. Due to the prolonged stoppage of work and wages, approximately 73 lakh workers in the state were facing severe financial distress.

What Was the Calcutta High Court’s Order?

The Central Government had halted the funds for the 100 days’ work scheme in West Bengal, citing allegations of corruption. As a result, labourers in the state had not received their wages since December 2021. In response to this deadlock, the ‘Paschim Banga Khetmajur Samiti’ filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court. Last June, the Calcutta High Court delivered a landmark judgment in the case.

• The court directed the Centre to restart the 100 days’ work in the state from August 1.
• The High Court clarified that work could resume in the rest of the state, excluding four districts with corruption allegations—Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, North 24 Parganas, and South 24 Parganas.
• The court also stated that the Centre could impose necessary conditions for restarting the work if required.

The Central Government challenged this High Court order in the Supreme Court, arguing that the funds were withheld due to corruption.

Setback for the Centre in the Supreme Court

The Central Government recently faced a significant setback in this case at the Supreme Court. The apex court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s verdict. The Supreme Court stated that, keeping the public interest in mind, the 100 days’ work must be started in West Bengal immediately, and the Centre must also sanction the necessary funds for the project. The court prioritised the right to work for the common people over the Centre’s corruption argument. This ruling is being seen as a major legal victory for the state government.

State’s Expectations and Next Steps

Following this Supreme Court verdict, the state government is now very optimistic. Nabanna believes that the Centre will now promptly release the pending wages and the necessary funds to continue the project. It is noteworthy that the ‘Paschim Banga Khetmajur Samiti’ in its petition has not only demanded the pending wages but has also appealed for interest at a rate of 0.05% for holding back the funds for so long. While the issue of interest is still sub-judice, the resumption of the main project is expected to bring back jobs for the poor people of the state and alleviate their financial hardships to some extent.