New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday cited details of the large infrastructure projects in the highways, railways and airports sectors and the social welfare scheme undertaken by the Narendra Modi government in West Bengal to refute the claims of the Trinamool Congress that the Centre was discriminating against the state.
In her reply to the Union Budget debate in the Lok Sabha, the Finance Minister said that while the Centre had been allocating funds under social welfare schemes, there were instances of corrupt TMC cadres siphoning away the funds.
"Trinamool Congress has institutionalised corruption, gutted institutions and Trinamool has become a by-word for exploitation. Has TMC now become Trinamool - which means grassroots - Virodhi?" she remarked.
The Finance Minister said that like every other State, PMAY-G is being implemented in West Bengal since 2016-17. The Government has released Rs 25,798 crore as Central share to the State since 2016-17.
However, there are complaints of irregularities in the implementation of PMAY-G, including a selection of ineligible households. There have been 25 lakh fake job cards in MNREGA, and funds meant for people at the grassroots have been looted by TMC cadres. A Rs 100 crore Mid-Day Meal fraud, ration mafia thriving denying people on grassroots their benefits. Besides, Ayushman Bharat was blocked, denying healthcare to the poor people living at the grassroots level.
"Only 43 per cent tap water coverage vs 74 per cent national average. Capital formation crashed from 6.7 per cent (2010) to 2.9 per cent in recent years -- a direct result of your hostility to investment. There are no jobs, no factories, no vision," Sitharaman said.
She further stated that West Bengal was once India's industrial powerhouse with a 24 per cent share of industrial production in 1947, but the state is now far behind in manufacturing at 3.5 per cent share in 2021.
"Bengal's per capita income growth lags national averages for 20 years. It's ranked 23rd in 2021-22," she remarked. The Finance Minister further stated that the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done a lot of things for West Bengal. The list includes AIIMS Kalyani inaugurated in West Bengal in February 2024. (IANS)
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