Kolkata: State Irrigation minister Soumen Mahapatra lashed out at the Centre's dilly-dallying approach in disbursement of its share of funds for various flood management projects in Bengal.
Responding to queries from some MLAs in the state Assembly on Tuesday regarding the steps taken by the state for flood management across the state, the minister said, "the Keleghai-Kapaleswari-Baghai project for flood control in West and East Midnapore is progressing well. As per the sanctioned plan, the share of funds for the entire project of Rs 650.58 crore stands at a 50:50 ratio to be shared by the Centre and state. The state has already spent Rs 340.69 crore for various works under the project, while the Centre has allocated Rs 162.62 crore till date. This apathy in fund allocation on the part of the Centre is delaying work."
According to the minister, when the project was sanctioned the sharing pattern was agreed at 75:25 by Centre and state. However, some years ago, the Centre for some unknown reasons decreased their share to 50 percent.
Mahapatra further maintained that in case of the Kandi master plan for flood management in Murshidabad that involves Rs 438.94 crore, work has started and tender has been floated for work involving Rs 362.86 crore.
"The state has already allocated Rs 282 crore for the project, while the Centre, in three phases since 2014, has given a meagre Rs 80.93 crore. We need permission from the Railways for a part of the work. But the nod is taking a lot of time," he said.
The minister also pointed out the Centre's lackadaisical attitude towards allocation of funds for repair and reconstruction of the dams in Sunderbans that were damaged by Aila in 2009. "The plan that was sanctioned involved Rs 5,000 crore, out of which the Centre has given only Rs 550 crore till date. The state has spent Rs 270 crore and will be spending another Rs 150 crore in this financial year," he said.
The state has plans to reconstruct a 106 km river barrage in the Aila affected Sunderbans by March 2020. The Irrigation department has already made a 72.50 km barrage for flood management.
"Even when it comes to construction of check dam over river Karru at Bagmundi in Purulia district to prevent flood, the Centre's apathy in release of funds is delaying work," Mahapatra said.
It may be mentioned that for Purulia, a part of Junglemahal, the Centre-state share is supposed to be in the ratio of 90:10. "The Centre is releasing funds for the neighbouring state Chhattisgarh which is ruled by BJP, but when it comes to Bengal the fund allocation is dwindling," the minister said.