Monday, Apr 29, 2024 | Last Update : 03:18 PM IST
Subrata Mukherjee to protest in Delhi for funds
We have repeatedly sought waiver of the loan taken during the Left Front rule. But the Centre has not done anything, says Mamata Banerjee.
Kolkata: Hitting out at the Modi government for its non-cooperation, chief minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday said she has asked state minister Subrata Mukherjee to stage a dharna in Delhi against the Centre for not giving funds under the MGNREGA scheme.
“Panchayat and rural development minister Subrata Mukherjee has been asked to go to Delhi to stage a dharna there,” she said after chairing an administrative meeting at Mukutmanipur in Bankura district.
“We have repeatedly sought waiver of the loan taken during the Left Front rule. But the Centre has not done anything,” she said, adding the government would continue its work despite the non-cooperation from the Centre.
Citing Mukutmanipur as an example of how the country’s “rural economy” has suffered due to demonetisations, Ms Banerjee said, “After coming here I heard something which has caused profound pain to me. In the meeting which was also attended by a representative of the bank, I was told that 100 days’ work scheme has been badly affected by the cash crunh. In this district, earlier 30,000 people were engaged in 100 days’ work but now their number has been reduced to 10,000 because they are not getting their wages.”
She said under the 100 days’ work scheme, a labourer gets a daily wage of around Rs 176, which means his monthly pay package is a little above Rs 5,000. “The (Central) government had announced that a person can withdraw Rs 24,000 in a week. But the ground reality is he is unable to withdraw this amount. Even the poor labourer engaged in 100 days’ work is unable to withdraw his meagre Rs 5,000 in a month,” she said.
Taking potshots at Mr Modi, she said that the PM took the decision to scrap high denomination currency notes without first putting adequate infrastructure in place. “In large parts of the country, there are no banks and he is promoting Paytm,” she said sarcastically.
Ms Banerjee said she has asked the district authority to set up Mukutmanipur Development Authority to expedite various development work in the area, known for its second biggest earth dam in the country and a tourist resort.
