Mamata reveals statistics showing rise in state's financial performance

Kolkata: Bengal's financial performance has reached new heights because of a sharp rise in plan expenditure, capital expenditure, tax revenue collection, spending in social sector and several other parameters.

This has happened at a time when the state government has to repay Rs 56,000 crore as loan to the Centre – a burden that the erstwhile Left Front government had left upon the Mamata Banerjee government.

As per figures revealed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after chairing an administrative review meeting at Nabanna Sabhaghar, the state plan expenditure has increased 6 times and the capital expenditure has gone up 11 times since 2010-11.

"Our plan expenditure that was Rs 11,837 crore in 2010-11 has gone up to Rs 71,113 crore in 2018-19, while the capital expenditure has shot up to Rs 23,787 crore from Rs 2,225 crore. The social sector expenditure has increased four times from Rs 6,845 crore to Rs 31,060 crore, while that in agriculture and allied sectors has risen from Rs 3,029 crore to Rs 28,302 crore," she said.

The physical infrastructure sector expenditure has also increased five times since 2010-11 from Rs 1,758 crore to Rs 9,553 crore in 2018-19.

"In comparison to the 2017-18 financial year, the state plan expenditure has increased by 23 percent, the capital expenditure by 25 percent and physical infrastructure sector expenditure by 48 percent. Tax revenue has risen from Rs 60,818 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 65,341 crore in 2018-19, while GST collection has also gone up 23 percent in 2018-19 in comparison to the 2017-18 fiscal," she added.

Banerjee also announced the constitution of a Monitoring Cell on Programme Implementation in the CMRO to fasttrack redressal of complaints or grievances regarding government schemes.

According to the Chief Minister, the state government is facing non-cooperation in proper implementation of its beneficial schemes like Khadya Sathi and Kanyashree from a section of officers, particularly those who have been working in the government level from the days of the erstwhile Left Front government.

"When we assumed office (in 2011) we had not removed any government officer. Some of these officers are still showing non-cooperation in implementing government schemes. So, we are forming this monitoring and grievance cell so that I can personally monitor such cases," she added.

Colonel Diptanshu Chaudhary will be heading the cell, which will examine the authenticity of the complaint and will address the problem in seven days. If it cannot be solved in seven days, the CMRO will intervene directly and address the same.

Banerjee announced a toll free number 18003458244, an SMS number 9073300524 and an email id: wbcmro@gmail.com, which people can use to register their complaints.

She made it clear that she will not tolerate any money laundering through these beneficial schemes and will act tough. "We are strengthening our economic offence wing by including civil officials in the team for crackdown on such offences in a more efficient manner," Banerjee said.