Central funds slashed due to political disparity: CM

Banerjee also said that the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) was releasing water during the monsoon which created flood-like situation and did not take up projects for dredging of water bodies.

She was speaking to media persons after the administrative review meeting in South 24 Parganas on Thursday. State panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee, Kolkata Mayor and state fire minister Sovan Chatterjee, state irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee and senior officers of the state government along with other officials of the district were present at the meeting.

The CM said that the Centre had slashed funds to several projects and schemes without taking the state government into confidence. Earlier, the Centre used to bear 90 per cent of a project’s cost and the remaining 10 per cent was covered by the state government. But now the scenario had changed. 

Money has not been released for many projects, including construction of roads. The state government was yet to get Rs 1,700 crore under the 100-day work scheme from the Centre.

“You all know that the Centre takes away different types of tax from the state and they give some money for projects. But, 39 schemes have been stopped and allotment of funds to 58 schemes like ICDS [Integrated Child Development Scheme] have been slashed.. We are not taking it in a good spirit. I feel it is an outcome of political disparity,” she said.

She added that the state government had constructed walls around 3000 burial grounds. A scheme, Baitarani, had been taken up to construct walls around crematoriums in villages following a survey. 

“There are no problems with crematoriums that are situated on government lands. The representatives of people have been asked to talk to owners of the plots on which the crematoriums exist,” the CM said.

She expressed satisfaction with the development work that had taken place in the district. Banerjee said that  institutional delivery in South 24 Parganas had gone up to nearly 90 per cent in the past 2 to 3 years. It was around 61 per cent when Trinamool came to power.

Murshidabad, North Dinajpur and South 24 Parganas were earlier laggards with regard to institutional delivery. But, these three districts had pulled up their socks. The health department is also helping by setting up mobile camps and dispensaries. The district was also faring well in implementing schemes, including the 100- day work and mid-day meal.

Some tasks in  Cyclone Aila-hit areas were yet to be completed . Steps would be taken to expedite the process, the CM assured. The digitisation of ration cards in the district stood at 100 per cent. There were some problems in providing electric power supply in every area, which would be addressed.