MGNREGA dues from Centre Kolkata, Feb 2 (Reporter) As announced West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday began a sit-in-dharna here, demanding payment of dues in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) fund to the state. Banerjee during her recent North Bengal tour had announced a sit-in-dharna from February 2 to protest alleged withholding of the state's dues of MGNREGA fund by the Centre. Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar alleged that the dues of more than 21 lakh workers of Bengal have been pending for over 25 months now. Banerjee on December 20 last called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, along with five MPs, and demanded the release of pending central fund to the state. In the meeting the PM had proposed that officials from the state and the Centre can sit together and clear the issues. Banerjee after meeting the PM told reporters that 155 central teams have already visited West Bengal and the state government has given clarification on issues raised by the Centre. Meanwhile, state Governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday said in New Delhi that all the pending funds for the would be cleared by the Union government provided the state government meets the requirements laid down by the Centre after his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah there. State education minister Bratya Basu said, " MGNREGA funds are not just numbers, they impact real lives". " Our united call against the injustice done by BJP to the people of Bengal shall reverberate across the Nation. Nothing will stop our dharna to get what we are rightfully owed," said Basu. In the dharna, a host of ministers, MPs and many TMC women wing leaders took part in the silent demonstration in which festoons were hung regarding the alleged deprivation of the Centre towards the state. The dharna will be for 48 hours at the footstep of Ambedkar statue on the Red Road...////...