West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met Prime Minister Narendra Modi today to address the longstanding issue of pending dues to the state. The meeting comes amidst an escalating dispute over the alleged withholding of central funds from Bengal. Addressing the media before her departure to New Delhi on Sunday, Chief Minister Banerjee accused the Centre of halting all funds for Bengal, including those designated for the housing program Banglar Bari.
After the meeting in the Parliament complex, Banerjee, accompanied by nine party MPs, mentioned that the prime minister proposed officials from the state and Centre could convene to resolve the issues.
Banerjee highlighted that 155 central teams have already visited West Bengal. Regarding the pending MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) funds, she emphasized that it is mandatory, as per the Constitution, to pay the workers.
Expressing concern, Banerjee stated, "We didn't even get a penny for 100 days of work (under MGNREGA) in the budget for 2022-23. Funds for (Pradhan Mantri) Aawas Yojna have been stopped, rural development schemes have been shut, and the health mission program has also been halted. We are also not getting funds under the Finance Commission."
Banerjee further conveyed that state officials had provided all the clarifications requested. The Prime Minister suggested a joint meeting between Centre and state officials. Banerjee expressed her willingness to provide clarification once again, emphasizing the need for a fair formula considering the share of both the central government and the state in a federal structure.
Highlighting the humanitarian aspect, Banerjee said, "It is not right to stop the money for poor people," and asserted that the Centre owed Rs 1.15 lakh crore to West Bengal. The discussion points to the ongoing tussle over alleged withholding of central funds to the state, impacting various crucial programs and schemes.
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