PM calls up Bengal CM Mamata, praises her govt’s role in fighting corona
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union home minister Amit Shah and external affairs minister S. Jaishankar serially took updates from West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee over telephone on Friday evening about her government’s steps to tackle Covid-19 pandemic in the state which has recorded two more cases taking the total number of patients to 17 including a death. Mr Modi’s call to the Bengal CM came in the wake of her prompt indication of gradually relaxing the 21-day curfew-like total lockdown announced by him, her complaint against the Centre of no assistance and a demand for a `1500 crore special package and her public interactions for awareness with a posse of officials for the last three consecutive days by hitting the streets across the city amidst the lockdown.
During one of her visits, Ms Banerjee was reportedly heard asking the shopowners to keep their outlets open. The state government already resumed bus services in six routes for the workers in emergency services while allowing two large wholesale markets at Posta and Sealdah in central parts of the city. A day after the talks with the top three figures of the Centre, Ms Banerjee was however not seen going out in public places on Saturday.
According to sources, Ms Banerjee requested Mr Modi to allow the state to borrow at the rate of five per cent of the state’s gross domestic product, instead of the present ceiling of three per cent under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, to raise funds to tackle the pandemic. But the PM did not give the CM any assurance, sources revealed.
Sources in Ms Banerjee’s government, however, claimed that Mr Modi had showered “praise” for her intiatives. But, there was no statement from the PMO about the talks and it’s outcome. Later, Mr Shah called Ms Banerjee to discuss the law & order situation as part of the security scenario in the state.