Mamata Banerjee slams Centre over delay in funds

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accused the Narendra Modi government of meting out step-motherly treatment to Bengal in the allocation of funds for post-flood reconstruction and rehabilitation.

“The government at the Centre has not given us a single paisa (for flood relief and rehabilitation). I have heard that heavy rains caused many deaths in Chennai. The Delhi babus gave funds within seven days. Eight months have passed since our state was devastated by floods but till date the Centre has not given us any money,” she added. Ms Banerjee was addressing a public meeting at Hooghly’s Arambagh.

She hastened to add that she was saddened by the destruction caused by natural calamity in Tamil Nadu. “We are not jealous of Chennai. We want it to receive the necessary Central funds,” she added. However, what irked her was the NDA government’s double standards in dealing with similar situations in two states.

“Was it because Tamil Nadu is a friendly state and West Bengal is not ” she asked.

Less than a month ago, Ms Banerjee wrote a letter to the Prime Minister reiterating her demand of Rs 21,000 crore for flood rehabilitation in 11 districts which witnessed large-scale devastation in August.

In her letter, Ms Banerjee reminded Mr Modi that although a Central team had visited the affected districts and assessed the damages in September, the state was yet to receive funds. Ms Banerjee had personally met Mr Modi on August 12 to seek post-flood reconstruction funds.

On Tuesday, she also took potshots at Mr Modi’s Swachchh Bharat Abhiyaan. “Three out of the top four districts in India under Swachchh Bharat are from Bengal. Hooghly is among them. Some people only advertise and talk about Swachchh Bharat. Bengal leads the way through action,” she added.

She also voiced her displeasure over the imposition of cess for the implementation of Swachchh Bharat. She also slammed the Centre for the abrupt termination or curtailment of Central funds for social sector projects like mid-day meals, ICDS, police modernisation and Jangalmahal development programme. Ms Banerjee blamed the CPI(M) for the recent violence during its week-long protest rallies. “Those who are disturbing peace and lighting fire in the state failed to do anything in their 34-year-long rule. They should not now try to disrupt development,” she added.