Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government has provided employment to over 75 lakh job card holders under the ‘Karmashree’ project in the recently-concluded 2024-25 fiscal. The scheme, a brainchild of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was introduced from the 2023-24 fiscal to provide jobs to the genuine job card holders in the backdrop of the Central government stopping disbursal of funds for workers involved in 100 days work in Bengal from December 2022. In the 2023-24 fiscal, the state had provided jobs to 64 lakh job card holders.
“The job card holders in the state have been engaged in various schemes like Pathashree (road construction and repair), Banglar Bari (rural housing), Jal Jeevan Mission (potable water supply to households), setting up of health centres and ICDS centres, making of school uniforms, mid day meal related work etc to mention a few.
This year, 52 departments have converged to ensure that the genuine job card holders are guaranteed at least 50 days work.
The results have been satisfying and we are hopeful that in the 2025-26 fiscal, the number will further increase. We have set a target of providing employment to 1 crore under Karmashree,” said a senior official of state Panchayats and Rural Development department. The department maintained strict supervision for ensuring that job card holders from all parts of the state were engaged under Karmashree.
However, the state will continue to press for funds from the centre for 100 days’ work.
“We have been sending communiques from time to time in demand of our share of funds for 100 days’ workers.
All the clarifications that were sought by the Centre have been furnished and the withholding of funds is only for political vendetta after BJP’s defeat in the 2021 Assembly elections,” said the official adding that they will continue with their pressing for release of funds.
The state government through its own exchequer has cleared the pending dues of 59 lakh job card holders who were denied their due wages for 100 days work by the Centre.