The Punjab BJP has accused the AAP government of misleading the public by claiming that Rs 23,446 crore is pending under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) from the Centre. State BJP General Secretary Anil Sarin criticized Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, alleging that figures from the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (2024–2025) are being misrepresented. Sarin highlighted discrepancies in the information presented by the government, stating that there are no pending wage dues of MGNREGA workers in any state for 2024–25.
Explaining the funding process under MGNREGA, Sarin clarified that the first installment is released annually in the first half of April. Subsequently, upon a state’s submission of utilization certificates as per the prescribed rules for the funds received, the next installment is promptly released. However, Sarin pointed out that if a state fails to submit the required certificates, the subsequent installment cannot be released by the Central government under the MGNREGA Act.
Sarin further alleged that audits of 5,915 out of 13,304 panchayats in Punjab have not been conducted yet. He also claimed that 10,653 cases of fraud or forgery have been identified under the MGNREGA scheme, with the AAP government allegedly avoiding action in these instances. Sarin questioned the government’s motives, raising concerns about the misuse of funds through fake cards.
The BJP leader emphasized that the Punjab government’s claims are not aligned with the actual situation on the ground. Sarin criticized the AAP government over the discontinuation of the atta-dal scheme, questioning the decision’s impact on the marginalized communities. He asserted that compromising the rights of the underprivileged cannot be justified under any circumstances. Sarin challenged the AAP government, stating that the BJP would expose what he described as the government’s falsehoods on various platforms and demanded accurate figures from Finance Minister Cheema.
