Toll-free number introduced to fix accountability: Subrata

Kolkata: Panchayats and Rural Development minister Subrata Mukherjee said during his Budget speech in the Assembly on Monday that the toll-free number 180020200864 has already been introduced, where the beneficiaries of various development schemes can register their complaints if they face any difficulties while availing the facilities.

The minister told the House that the mechanism has already been made operational in the districts, where the beneficiaries can lodge their complaints. The district administration will take prompt action if there is any complaint relating to the schemes.

During his speech, the minister also said that 100 day works under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have been increased in the state. The Bengal government has secured first position by creating the maximum number of jobs in the state.

In 2017-18, the state government generated as high as 31.25 crore person-days, whereas in the last financial year, the department created 21.64 crore person-days till November 2018, which is the highest in the country with Andhra Pradesh securing second place with 18.46 crore person-days.

In the last financial year, the state government released Rs 2,161.35 crore for the implementation of the programme. For the current financial year, the budgetary allocation has been increased up to Rs 6,219.50 crore.

Mukherjee told the Assembly that the Bengal government has also set an example by constructing roads. He said that in the last one year, around 5,000 km of roads have been constructed. Work has been initiated to build around 2,527 km more in the current year.

Taking a dig at the CPI(M) MLAs, the minister said that no significant steps had been taken in this regard by the erstwhile Left Front government.

Mukherjee also responded to the CPI(M) MLAs who were shouting inside the Assembly on the cut money issue, saying that roads in various stretches used to remain in bad shape during the Left Front regime.

The minister also reminded them that no tangible development had taken place during the Left Front regime and accused CPI(M) of lending support to the BJP. "Their protest against BJP is just show-off," alleged the minister.

He also said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed the department to uplift the socio-economic condition of people in the villages. Following the Chief Minister's instruction, the department has ensured that 8 crore people in villages can avail the benefits of various government schemes.

Mukherjee again criticised the previous Left Front government, saying that they used to tell the Centre that the construction of roads was completed and therefore no funds were required for the same.