Centre withheld release of Rs 7,000 crore earmarked for paddy procurement: TMC

Kolkata: Taking a dig at the Narendra Modi government’s ‘Amrit Kaal’ claim, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) sought to remind that India ranks 111th out of 125 countries in the Global Hunger Index.

Taking to its social media handle, TMC also alleged that after crippling Bengal’s rural economy by halting funds for MGNREGS, Awas Yojana and Gram Sadak Yojana, the BJP-led Centre had now decided to ‘withhold the release of Rs 7,000 crore earmarked for paddy procurement.

“PM@narendramodi is now waging his war on a different front.The @BJP4India-led Centre has decided to withhold the release of Rs. 7,000 crore earmarked for paddy procurement because of our ‘failure’ to display NFSA logo and photographs of the Prime Minister,” TMC posted on X.

Moreover, claiming to have cited statistics from reports of the National Family Health Survey, Global Hunger Index and Oxfam report, TMC also alleged that under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the country embraced hunger and under-nutrition. It claimed that 57 per cent of women, aged 15-49, suffer from anaemia while 31.7 per cent of children experience stunted growth. TMC said it clearly indicates that India is “worse placed” among the least developed countries.

The party also mentioned that the top one per cent in India owns more than 40.5 per cent of total wealth and 6.7 per cent of India’s population lives in poverty. It had recently criticised the BJP-led Central government as India slipped to 45th position out of 47 countries on Global Pension Index, 2023.

Questions were raised by Trinamool if the country is losing its relevance in search of “Amrit Kaal”. In a post on X, TMC wrote: “Is India losing its relevance in search of Amrit Kaal? PM @narendramodi’s dazzling hoax speeches of huge goals for the development of the nation contradicts the stark reality of India slipping down to 45th position out of 47 countries on the Global Pension Index, 2023.”

Trinamool also alleged that Central government employees are unhappy with the current pension model of the Centre. This distressing reality is reflected in the protests of Government employees who are unhappy with the current pension model.

“How about @BJP4India halts its boasting ritual for once and actually works for the upliftment of the country?” the party further posted on X.