Perform or face ire: Deb to Asok - Poor scheme cash the responsibility of corporation, says minister

SOUMYA DE SARKAR, TT, Siliguri, May 20: Minister Gautam Deb today said the Left-run SMC would have to "perform or face protest" and generate its own revenue to pay for schemes for the poor, betraying the first hint of stormy days ahead for Asok Bhattacharya.

Deb that to fulfil made at the election manifesto published by <>Darjeeling district Left Front had made in its manifesto ahead of the civic polls.

"Asok Bhattacharya and his party leaders had made numerous promises in their manifesto. We will keep a close watch and see whether he delivers. The new mayor must keep in mind that if he fails to fulfil the promises, Siliguri will break into spontaneous protests," north Bengal development minister Deb told reporters at Uttarkanya here today.

He said the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) would have to pay around Rs 7 lakh on behalf of beneficiaries of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana by November this year.

"From August last year till the civic polls, the SMC was run by administrators. Earlier, the NBDD (north Bengal development department) and Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA) had paid health insurance premiums for people in the BPL category under RSBY. The insurance has to be renewed by November. Since there is a full-fledged board at the SMC, neither my department nor SJDA will pay for renewal," Deb said. "The civic body will have to make arrangements all by itself."

According to Deb, last year, 22,687 BPL persons from SMC area and 77,011 from the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad area were covered by the RSBY.

"Around 78 per cent of the target population in the SMC area and 80 per cent in the rural areas were brought under RSBY. We have spent around Rs 204 crore since August (Rs 134 crore by NBDD and Rs 70 crore by SJDA) on the SMC area. We want to see how much the new civic board spends for development of the town in the next one year," Deb said.

An SMC official said, under the RSBY, the state has signed an agreement with an insurance firm. "The Centre pays 75 per cent of the health premium and the remaining 25 per cent is paid by the state. Each beneficiary has to pay Rs 30 per year as registration and renewal fee. But in many cases, local bodies, like municipalities and zilla parishads, pay that money and give 'free policies' to the beneficiaries."

He added: "For the SMC area, the NBDD and SJDA paid Rs 7 lakh last year, that is Rs 30 for each of the 23,000-odd beneficiaries. Now, the onus is on the civic body. The amount is expected to be more than Rs 7 lakh this time as new beneficiaries would be added."

If the amount is not paid by November, the policies would be cancelled.

A political observer said Trinamul will make it an issue if the amount is not paid. "The meagre Rs 30 does not matter but the Left can't afford to allow Trinamul take the leverage. Deb's assertion also indicates the hurdles Asok Bhattacharya and the Left board will face from the state and Trinamul," he said.

Asked about Deb's comments, Bhattacharya said: "We will always solicit cooperation from the state and its ministers, including north Bengal development minister. It is up to him to decide if he will cooperate. He is in a constitutional post and I am, too. I do not believe in taking an adamant stance. Payment for beneficiaries is not an issue that needs to be blown out of proportion."

Deb's department and the SJDA have together paid Rs 28 lakh for beneficiaries in rural areas of Siliguri subdivision earlier. "Whoever comes to power at the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad, will have to bear the expenses," a source said.

Elections to the parishad are due since June last year.

Today, Deb said he would meet Bhattacharya at Uttarkanya if he seeks an appointment. "If he seeks an appointment, I will meet him here in Uttarkanya and show him what our government has done in the past four years. I will not go to SMC to meet him."

Today, Bhattacharya visited different departments at the SMC and three of the five borough offices. "Our plan is to increase the scope of borough offices as it is necessary to reduce SMC's load and extend services through these offices. We are in favour of decentralisation of work," he said.