Mamata hands out dole worth Rs 83cr to clubs - distributed financial aid to 8,000-odd clubs in the poll-bound state

Since the TMC-led govt came to power in 2011, the state govt started giving financial assistance for developing infrastructure required for sporting events

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee posed for a group photograph with Trinamul Congress MLAs on Monday, the final day of the 16th Bengal Assembly’s last session. “Some people are saying that I will not be back... But let me tell you, I will be back,” said Mamata before leaving the Assembly premises.: Picture by Pradip Sanyal

Pranesh Sarkar   |   TT   |   Calcutta   |   09.02.21,: Mamata Banerjee on Monday distributed financial aid to the tune of Rs 83 crore to 8,000-odd clubs in the poll-bound state at an event to felicitate sports personalities, the move prompting Opposition parties to accuse the ruling Trinamul of trying to buy votes using state coffers.

“We have given assistance to 26,000 clubs in the past few years. Some people often raise questions on why the clubs would get these funds...We think clubs play an important role in society as members of clubs stand by people throughout the year...I must say they played a crucial role during Amphan,” said the chief minister at the event at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Since the Trinamul-led government came to power in 2011, the state government started giving financial assistance to clubs for the purpose of developing infrastructure required for sporting events.

Though Opposition parties attacked the government on this largesse and the matter reached courtrooms, the state continued to support clubs.

A senior government official said it couldn’t be denied that the clubs played an important role in the ruling party’s success in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and 2016 Assembly polls. “But at the same time, it is also widely accepted in administrative circles that the aid to clubs improved sporting infrastructure in the districts,” he said, adding that it helped many young players to come up from remote parts.

“From Birbhum, two players were included in Bengal Under-19 cricket team last year. This happened only because infrastructure of the clubs improved,” he pointed out.

At Monday’s event, Mamata also announced a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 for sports personalities above 60 years of age. “The sum is meagre...But this is to respect the players who have given so much to society,” she said, adding that some 2,000 veterans would get the pension.

She also inaugurated and proposed 72 industrial parks or hubs across the state with the promise that these would create jobs for youths. “There is a possibility of drawing investment of Rs 72,200 crore in these parks and a total of 3.29 lakh employment opportunities will be created,” Mamata said.

Opposition parties, however, questioned if the state had investment proposals in these parks that include the industrial township in Purulia’s Raghunathpur, the industrial park at Budge Budge and the hosiery park in Howrah’s Jagadishpur. “The state should make it clear how many investment proposals it received. Without a concrete proposal, how can the state say there is a possibility of investment worth Rs 72,200 crore when many industrial parks have vacant plots owing to disinterest from investors,” said Shamik Bhattacharya, a former BJP MLA.