Agartala, April 03, 2026: Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday urged the election authorities to take action over the release of subsidy funds under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) during enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in Tripura, alleging violation of election norms.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer of Tripura, the State Election Commission and the Election Commission of India, CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said the explanation provided by the Director of Industries and Commerce Department on March 30 had admitted that funds were transferred to beneficiaries while the MCC was in force in the state.

According to the letter, the department clarified that the beneficiaries had been selected three years ago and cited an Election Commission letter dated January 2, 2024, stating that schemes involving specifically identified beneficiaries before enforcement of the Model Code could continue without fresh approval from the Commission.

Rejecting the explanation, Chaudhury alleged that the disbursal of subsidy during the MCC period amounted to a partisan move intended to politically benefit the ruling party.

He argued that although beneficiaries may have been selected earlier, implementation of such schemes could not remain pending for years only to be disbursed during an election period.

The CPI(M) leader further expressed dissatisfaction over what he termed as a “misinterpretation of the spirit of the Model Code of Conduct” and said his allegation had not been adequately addressed.

He demanded that the election authorities initiate action against the responsible officials for the alleged violation.

The PMEGP is a central credit-linked subsidy scheme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises.