Abhishek to review work in Panchayats every 3 mnts

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday said he will review the performance of Panchayats every three months and Panchayat pradhans’ tenures will be extended on the basis of their performance.

“I have already forced five Panchayat pradhans to resign. I will review the performance every three months and the tenure will be extended on the basis of their works,” Abhishek said. He was addressing a rally organised at Ketugram in East Burdwan on the 18th day of ‘Trinamool-e-Naba-Jowar.

He added that the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme that empowers women of Bengal will continue even if the Centre stops all funds. He once again accused the Centre of stopping Bengal’s dues under various heads, including Awas Yojana and 100 days work dues.

“The Bengal government will continue the ‘Lakhsmir Bhandar’ scheme so that women can become economically strong. In East Burdwan district, 11.65 lakh women availed Lakshmir Bhandar scheme in the past two years. We will fight till our last drop of blood. We will organise a bigger movement in Delhi with the people of Bengal to claim our dues. We will not stoop before the BJP despite the CBI and the ED being let loose,” he said. “The Centre has stopped funds for 11.36 lakh people under the Awas Yojana. They have withheld around Rs 1,15,000 crore dues of Bengal,” Abhishek said.

He further added that around 47.64 lakh people in Burdwan get free ration while around 20 lakh students have availed ‘Aikyashree’ scholarship.

Taking on some of the opposition party leaders who had laughed at the idea of his staying away from home for 60 days while conducting ‘Trinamool-e-Naba-Jowar’ campaign, he said: “Some of the opposition party leaders cracked jokes when we mooted the idea of carrying out ‘Trinamool-e-Naba-Jowar’ campaign by staying away in all the districts of Bengal for 60 days. Those leaders said I would not be able to stay on the roads for six days. Today is the 18th day of the ‘Trinamool-e-Naba-Jowar’ campaign that started from Cooch Behar. Today, I have entered East Burdwan.”

For the first time ever, a ruling political party, which is in power for three terms, is conducting a yatra of this scale to connect with the people across 3,343 Gram Panchayats of the state. Up until now, over 1,006 Gram Panchayats have voted in the Adhiveshan.

In the peak of summer, Abhishek has been on the road for 18 days, away from his family, friends and children.

“The ‘Jono Sanjog Yatra’ has strengthened our connection with people living in different villages of West Bengal, the ‘Gram Banglar Motamot’ exercise has brought in a revolutionary change in the electoral system by empowering people at the grassroots,” reads a press statement.