Over Rs 81,500 Crore Released Under MGNREGS; Fund Release to West Bengal Halted

The government has released over Rs 81,500 crore to states and Union Territories under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the current fiscal year, with wage payments made continuously via direct transfers. Pending liabilities across states total around Rs 18,862 crore as of March 11, 2026. However, fund releases to West Bengal have been halted since March 2022 due to non-compliance with central directives, with pending liabilities there estimated at Rs 3,082.52 crore by the government, while the state’s ruling party claims dues exceeding Rs 51,700 crore.