Fulbari, 01st August: The North Bengal MGNREGA Vendors Association has submitted a memorandum at Uttarkanya, demanding payment for outstanding bills from suppliers of materials for 100 days’ work.
Reportedly, on Thursday, several hundred members of the association carried out a protest from the Battala More in Fulbari demanding the overdue payments. However, their procession was halted by police at the Murder More area of Fulbari. Subsequently, a ten-member delegation proceeded to Uttar Kanya to submit their memorandum.
Abhijit Biswas, President of the Jalpaiguri Vendors Association, explained that they demanded the immediate release of funds for the materials supplied for 100 days’ work from 2020 to 2023. The demonstration witnessed the participation of contractors across North Bengal, including from Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, and Uttar Dinajpur.
Biswas added that they provided bricks, stones, cement, and other materials for 100 days of work, and the payments have been pending for years. Each district has hundreds of crores worth of overdue payments. As a result, they cautioned a larger movement if their demands were not met.