‘Centre’s non-release of funds a political vendetta’

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders on Monday said the BJP’s move to not release funds for various projects running in the state by citing flimsy grounds was nothing but political vendetta to deprive the poor people of Bengal.

TMC national spokesperson and party’s Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Shekhar Ray and state Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, while addressing a joint press conference at Trinamool Bhavan, demanded that money meant for various projects running in the state should be released by the Centre immediately.

Ray said the BJP was citing flimsy ground to deprive the poor people of the state. “After coming to power in 2014, the BJP had changed the names of 19 out of 23 Central projects.

No discussion was held at the inter-state council.”

He pointed out that the name of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act Scheme (MGNREGA) had not been changed but the Centre had not paid the dues of the poor people, who worked under 100 days work programme. “This is just a ploy to deprive Bengal. But the people of Bengal will not tolerate this,” he maintained.

Coming down heavily on the

BJP, both Ray and Bhattacharya said in Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojona and Pradhan Mantri Aabas Yojona (Gramin), the state government had paid 40 per cent of the total cost. “The state BJP leaders are talking in such a way as if the entire money is paid by the Centre. The Centre takes loan, imposes cess on petrol and diesel and in a federal structure, the Centre is bound to pay the share of the states. The state government has paid its share and so how can you deprive the state,” he maintained.

Bhattacharya said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her tour to Delhi had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to clear the dues. “In the letter she had mentioned in details about the dues. But nothing has been done so far. We demand that the Centre should clear our dues at the earliest,”adding that the state had created 36.4 crore man days in 2021-22 in 100 days work and stands number 2 in the country. “How can you deprive a state that ranks second in the country,” she asked.

‘The state government has paid its share and so how can you deprive the state’