West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee asks Centre to route NREGA money through post offices

CHINSURAH: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today urged the Centre to route NREGA funds through post offices in places where there are no banks.

"There are 1,000 panchayats in the state where there are no banks. So it is difficult to disburse the NREGA funds among poor people living in these places as the Centre was routing the money through banks only," Banerjee told reporters after an administrative meeting here.

She said that her government was now asking the Centre to either set up bank branches in these unbanked panchayats or route the money through post offices.

Banerjee also said that the government was offering space in the panchayat offices at a token rent of Re one for banks to open branches.

"Earlier, the state had emerged number one in 100 days work," she said, adding that the scope was curtailed now.

Banerjee, who from time to time visits district headquarters to take stock of the administrative work, said, "I have so far completed 90 such meetings. I am glad to learn that so much progress has been made in the state which I have come to know from these visits."

"One needs to move around," she said.