Mamata refutes Centre’s claim of releasing Rs 1,290 cr; says ‘not a single penny released’

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday reiterated that the Centre has not released a single penny for flood management in Bengal, while allocating funds to all BJP-ruled states. Her remarks come amid the Centre’s claim that it has already released Rs 1,290 crore to Bengal under the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP).

Earlier in the day, the Jal Shakti Ministry posted on X, stating: “Regarding flood management projects, no funding proposal related to these projects is pending with the Central Government. The Central Government has released Rs 1,290 crore to the Government of West Bengal under the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme so far.”

After visiting flood-hit Dudhia in Mirik, North Bengal, Banerjee said: “All double-engine states have been allocated funds for flood management in the Budget except Bengal. Despite such step-motherly treatment, we are trying our best to ensure people do not suffer. We cannot rebuild all the damaged bridges and roads at once, but restoration work has already begun and will continue gradually.”

On Monday, Banerjee had accused the Centre of ignoring her demand to set up an Indo-Bhutan River Commission and warned that North Bengal would continue to face recurrent floods without such a mechanism. She had also alleged that the Centre had stalled the Ganga Action Plan.

Responding to these allegations, the Jal Shakti Ministry said on X that it is “already engaged” with the Government of Bhutan on issues related to river erosion, silt and debris deposition, and flash floods in trans-border rivers between India and Bhutan.

It added that the “India-Bhutan Joint Groups/Teams”—including the Joint Group of Experts, Joint Technical Team, and Joint Experts Team—are functional, with officials from the Bengal government as members. The 11th JGE meeting held recently in Paro, Bhutan, discussed eight additional rivers entering West Bengal from Bhutan—Hashimara Jhora, Jogikhola, Rokia, Dhawal Jhora, Gabur Basra, Gabur Jyoti, Pana, and Raidak (I & II)—to conduct joint studies on erosion and sedimentation.

The Ministry further stated that under the Ganga Action Plan and Namami Gange Project, a total of 62 projects worth Rs 5,648.52 crore have been undertaken in Bengal.