Mumbai

Opposition members staged a walkout from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, protesting delays in payments under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and alleging that farmers have been waiting for years to receive their dues.

The issue was raised by BJP MLA Narayan Kuche, who said hundreds of wells were constructed under the scheme in his constituency, with farmers taking loans to complete the work. While payments for unskilled labour were made, dues for skilled work remain pending across several regions, he noted.

Responding to the concerns, state minister Shambhuraj Desai said pending payments for skilled work amount to around ₹2,800 crore, of which approximately ₹1,035 crore has been disbursed so far.

He added that a new system called SPARSH has been introduced to streamline payments, under which funds are jointly credited after both central and state shares are released. The system is expected to stabilise soon, enabling clearance of pending dues.

However, Opposition leaders demanded immediate payment. Congress MLA Nitin Raut highlighted the impact in districts like Gadchiroli, where MGNREGS is a major livelihood source.

State Congress chief Nana Patole alleged that some farmers have not been paid for up to four years and questioned whether delayed payments would include interest.

NCP MLA Prakash Solanke sought details of total pending dues, while Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Bhaskar Jadhav criticised the government for delaying payments to poor farmers.

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Accusing the government of neglect, Opposition members walked out of the House in protest.