Mamta Banerjee Asks for Rs 50,000 Crore Outstanding Dues, Wrote Letter To Modi 

Kolkata : Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concern over the “unexpected delay” in cutting the central fund for the state and releasing it. The BJP termed the letter writing as a ‘political gimmick’ to fool people before the civic elections in the state.

In his letter, Banerjee has stated that the state’s GDP grew by 10.4 percent in comparison to the national GDP of five percent in 2019-20. Banerjee wrote in the letter, “I am writing to the Central Government with deep concern about the cut in central funds for the state and unexpected delay in release of funds to us.”  LIts share of the total central fund of crores has not yet been received. She said that ‘unexpected delays’ are making it very difficult to fulfill the commitments for the welfare of the state.

Banerjee said that the Industrial Production Index (IIP) of West Bengal stood at 3.1 percent during April-November in the financial year 2019-20 while at the national level the figure stood at 0.6 percent. The growth rate in service sector also was 16.4 percent as compared to the national average of 6.9 percent.  She said, “I urge you to take all necessary steps to resolve the issues mentioned so that the state government can get more development work done for the people of the state.” Reacting to the letter, BJP National Secretary Rahul Sinha wondered why it took so long to write a letter to the Chief Minister.

He said, “What was the state government doing for so long? Just before the body elections, they suddenly realize that they have been deprived of funds. It is a political tactic to fool the people of the state. Elections are to be held in April in 107 municipalities and Kolkata Municipal Corporation in the state. The civic election is seen as a ‘mini assembly election’ ahead of the 2021 state assembly elections.’