State spent Rs 4K cr for Covid management & `6,500 crore towards Amphan relief: TMC

Kolkata: Dr Shashi Panja, minister of state for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, on Saturday, slammed the BJP for circulating false news on state government's role in combating the pandemic and said that Bengal has so far spent Rs 4,000 crore towards Covid management.

"It has become a habit of the BJP leaders to tell lies which they fail to substantiate," she said while addressing a press conference at Trinamool Congress (TMC) Bhavan on Saturday afternoon.

Dr Panja said: "The state government till date has spent Rs 4,000 crore to combat the pandemic. It had spent Rs 1,200 crore before June and from June till date another Rs 3,800 crore taking the total to Rs 4,000 crore."

It may be mentioned that BJP leaders in social media have accused the state government of its failure to combat the spread of the virus. She said: "Under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee the state government took elaborate measure to check the spread of the pandemic." The Chief Minister went to different areas requesting people to follow the lockdown protocols after the nationwide lockdown was clamped, she remarked.

Dr Panja said the Centre has not cleared dues to the state government worth Rs 50,000 crore. Of the amount Rs 36,000 crore has not been given for the centrally supported schemes.

However, the state government is carrying on with the implementation of the schemes spending from its coffer. Another Rs 11,000 crore has not been given under devolution of funds while Rs 3,000 crore has been given under the food subsidy schemes. Apart from this, the Centre has not given GST compensation dues worth Rs 7,750 till

September.

She also said that the estimated loss suffered by the state due to cyclone Amphan was Rs 1.02 lakh crore. The state government had spent Rs 6,500 crore on Amphan relief and restoration work.

Lambasting the saffron party, she claimed that the BJP leaders in the state have disrespected women time and again. On the contrary, Dr Panja said: "Mamata Banerjee has

worked for empowerment of women in the state. Be it while implementing welfare schemes or seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in the parliament, TMC has always given priority to women."