Kolkata, Sep 5 (IANS): Charging the Centre with intentionally delaying emoluments under the 100-day rural job guarantee scheme, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said work under the programme was getting restricted and number of beneficiaries coming down because of the Central government circulars.

"The Centre has come out with some circulars because of which work under the rural job guarantee programme was becoming restricted, and consequently number of workers are also coming down," she told the state assembly in response to a question.

Banerjee claimed that her state was ranked first as far as work was concerned under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).

"The Central government is intentionally delaying payments by at least three months. At times there is a delay of six months which is creating problems," she said.

Banerjee said her government was trying to bring up convergence of all departments to ease the situation for the workers.

"The state Irrigation, Panchayat, and Fisheries departments have actively supported, because of which three lakh water bodies have been dug. We are ensuring convergence of all departments to make things better for these workers," she said.