Mamata Banerjee slams Centre again

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday continued her tirade against the Centre and accused it of indifferent attitude towards her demand for adequate financial package to overcome the debt burden left back by the previous Left front government. Addressing a public rally here in North 24-Parganas district, Ms Banerjee slammed the Central government for not paying heed to her demand for the settlement of devolution of taxes to states and retain subsidies for various development programmes.

Strongly criticising the termination or drastic reduction of Central funds for several social sector projects like, mid-day meal, ICDS, police modernisation, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Jangalmahal development programmes, among others, she demanded immediate restoration of funding of those projects.

Pointing out that the devolution of taxes to states was much less compared to the collections, Ms Banerjee said, “States should retain funds for their own development.” Accusing the Centre of depriving West Bengal, despite repeated demands of special financial packages and subsidies for various projects, she said, “If I don’t get funds, how will I carry on the development projects ”

Raising her demand for the Centre’s sharing of debt burden left behind by the erstwhile Left front government, Ms Banerjee said, “If you (Centre) deduct so much, how will the state develop Despite all this, there are no salary dues of the employees. Once this huge deduction of funds is stopped, the state will be flooded with development works.”

Ms Banerjee said despite financial constraints, her state has acquired self-reliance in power and increased allocation in various projects for the minorities. She said her government plans to carve out a new district “The Sundarbans” before the next Durga Puja and said, “My government is committed to extend the benefit of distributing rice at the rate of Rs 3 per kg.”

On the occasion, Ms Banerjee flagged off the Sabuj Sathi scheme for the district, while inaugurating and laying foundation stones for a bouquet of projects including roads, irrigation schemes, Shishu Aaloy, health care schemes, new hostels and water supply facilities.

She laid foundation stones for road and irrigation projects, renovation of administrative buildings, minority hostels and godowns among other things and also distributed several services under various schemes including Kanyashree, Yuvashree and Sikshashree to the beneficiaries.