Govt committed to alleviate poverty, reduce unemployment

Kolkata: With a series of initiatives taken by her government in ensuring social justice, the Mamata Banerjee government has increased expenditure in the social sector by 4.5 times in the past eight years, compared to the Left Front regime's 2010-11 financial year.

"Today is #WorldDayofSocialJustice. Our Govt in #Bangla is committed to alleviation of poverty, reducing unemployment, combating illiteracy & upholding human rights. Our social sector expenditure increased from Rs 6845 Cr in 2010-11 to Rs 31,060 Cr in 2018-19, a 4.5 fold increase," said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a tweet on Thursday. The state has witnessed an overall development in the past eight years, starting from development of necessary infrastructure for better education even in remote areas of Bengal, to ensuring creation of job opportunities both in rural and urban parts of the state.

Besides creation of job opportunities by setting up industries, around 3 lakh jobs were created only in the Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME). Jobs have been created in 30,231 MSME units in Bengal till December.

Apart from reducing unemployment, it has also helped in alleviation of poverty in different parts of the state. Compared to 2010-11, the state has witnessed a 2.5 times increase in average employment per household in 2018-19.

There was 2.82 lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) till 2011, while it has gone up to more than 7 lakh in 2011-19.

In a bid to empower girls, the Mamata Banerjee government has introduced the Kanyashree scheme that has reduced the school dropout rate and also helped in avoiding early marriages.

Meanwhile, around 2 lakh folk artistes get stipend and necessary support from the state government under the scheme of Lokprasar Prakalpa.