Mamata Banerjee brings people above 60 and widows under pension plans
She raised annual dole for farmers to Rs 6,000 per acre and also announced a series of infrastructure projects
“I propose to bring all people over 60 years of age irrespective of caste, creed and religion under old age pension scheme. Similarly, all widows over 18 years of age would be brought under the widow pension scheme. There are people who are in need but can’t say anything to anybody. This will help them,” said the chief minister while tabling the vote-on-account for the 2021-22 financial year.
Sources said the initiative by the chief minister could be considered as a smart move as it would benefit nearly 2 crore aged people in the state and at least 15 to 20 lakh widows.
“The Union budget did not offer much to these sections of people. The chief minister has sensed an opportunity and played a smart stroke,” said a senior government official.
As of now, 60 lakh aged people, who comprise those in SC and ST communities and economically weaker section, fishermen and farmers, get Rs 1,000 every month under the old-age pension scheme. Opening up the scheme for all sections of people is considered to be significant as no other state has dared to do so.
“Under the Krishak Bandhu scheme, financial aid will be enhanced from the existing amount of Rs 5,000 and acre to Rs 6,000 annually,” said Mamata while allotting Rs 500 crore for this purpose.
The Krishak Bandhu scheme is a direct benefit transfer mechanism of state government for farmers.
The sources said the move was initiated clearly to match the Centre’s PM-Kisan scheme that offers Rs 6,000 annually to all farmers, except those who pay income tax.
The chief minister put pressure on the Centre by demanding that all bargadars (sharecroppers) be included in the Centre’s scheme. BJP leaders had claimed the farmers in the state were being deprived of the Centre’s assistance as the Bengal government did not implement the scheme.
“In Bengal, 47 lakh farmers and more than 5 lakh bargadars have been registered under the scheme. Of them, 23 lakh have already applied for the central scheme online even after the state did not agree to accept the scheme here. This put the chief minister under pressure and she has put the ball on the Centre’s court by raising the demand to include bargadars in the scheme. As the bargadar or sharecropper concept is prevalent extensively in Bengal, it would be tough for the Centre to include them,” said an official.
Mamata also announced that the state government would construct 46,000km of rural roads in the next five years and announced a series of infrastructure projects, including a flyover over B.T. Road connecting Tala and Dunlop.
“This is also to counter the Union government’s allotment of Rs 25,000 crore to develop a 675km economic corridor between Calcutta and Siliguri. The chief minister made it clear that the state could develop the roads on its own,” said another official.
The Opposition, however, raised questions on the intention of the state government to carry out the projects announced in the state vote-on-account.
“The government announced 46,000km of new rural roads in the next five years and allotted only Rs 500 crore for next financial year. If it is assumed the state will construct 9,000km this year, the funds are too meagre to achieve the target,” said Manoj Chakraborty, a Congress MLA.
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