Kolkata: On the first day of discussion on the Governor’s speech in the Assembly, ruling party MLAs on Friday trained guns on the BJP-led Centre for its alleged attempts to stall various social schemes in the state by not clearing funds.
Trinamool Congress MLAs in the Assembly alleged that the Centre is not clearing dues under the MGNREGA as a result of which, the villagers who have worked under the 100-day work scheme, are being deprived. TMC MLA Narayan Goswami, while addressing the House, said: “A number of Central teams have visited the state for supervising various schemes but not a single ‘negative’ report has been submitted against the Bengal government. Mainly, village people avail the benefits under the MGNREGA and hence, it is a serious blow to them. Around 75 per cent of people still live in villages. The Bengal government had earlier found a place in the Central ranking under the MGNREGA projects. But this year, we have failed to secure a rank as Rs 11,800 crore is due from the Centre.”
“They are yet to clear funds for setting up around 11 lakh houses under the PM Awas Yojana, thereby showing a step-motherly attitude towards Bengal. Those who work under MGNREGA are mostly daily-wage labourers. They are not getting the money. The Centre is entitled to provide funds to the people who have worked under the 100-days work scheme by virtue of the resolution taken in Parliament. They are supposed to pay the amount within 15 days through digital banking,” added Goswami.
BJP MLA Agnimitra Pal, while taking part in the discussion on the Governor’s speech, said present Governor CV Ananda Bose heaped praises on the law and order situation of the state as he read out the statement prepared by the state government during his inaugural speech of the Budget session. She told the House that the Central fact-finding team, of which Bose had been a part of, had earlier visited the state and submitted a report raising questions on the same issue.
Speaker of the Assembly Biman Bandyopadhyay asked Pal to submit the fact finding report to the House she was referring to.
Senior TMC MLA Tapas Roy, however, said Pal has little knowledge on parliamentary affairs and hence she spoke out of context on the floor of the House. Pal brought allegations against the state government by saying that around 24 railway projects could not be implemented as the state is not providing land to the Centre.