Even if a termite bites, they send a team from Delhi, says Mamata

MP | 20 Jan 2023 | Alipurduar: “Even if a termite bites in West Bengal, the Centre sends a team from Delhi. Even if a cracker is burst in Bengal, the National Investigation team is at our doorstep. 

Why is the Delhi Bar Council interfering in matters of our state? We have a Bar Council in Bengal. Where are the central teams when atrocities are committed in Uttar Pradesh?” questioned Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, pointing out the uncalled-for interference of the Union government, thereby diluting the federal polity. 

Banerjee on a tour of the Alipurduar district attended a government programme on Thursday handing over welfare schemes to beneficiaries from the districts of Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar. 

Training guns at the Union government, the Chief Minister stated while the state government is working hard to provide benefits to everyone through the numerous welfare schemes, the Centre has emerged as a major deterrent. “It is sad to see that the Centre has stopped all our funds. Workers under the 100 days’ work scheme are yet to receive their wages because the Centre has frozen Rs 6,000 crore which they owe to Bengal. Despite this, our state government has employed 40 lakh job card holders. This has led to 10 crore man-days being generated in Bengal,” stated Banerjee. 

The Chief Minister said that the Union government has stopped recruitment in Railways and Coal India. “What have you done with Air India? They are selling away everything. But when I am offering jobs to the youth of my state, under various sectors, they go and stop it. Their job is to hinder our growth,” she said. 

The Chief Minister stated that the Union government collects Income Tax and customs duty from Bengal. “Then, they send Central agencies to conduct raids and harass people here. The Central government is also taking GST and refusing to clear the amount they owe us. I will see how long they can continue this way. I will not beg from them. If I have to beg, I will beg from my mothers, sisters, workers, artisans, farmers, students and from the youth of Bengal,” retorted Banerjee. 

She scorned that the leaders from Delhi come to Bengal to give huge assurances but vanish once the elections are over. 

“I feel that no one should do politics when it comes to serving people better. Political parties should work to provide them with jobs, food, health and look after the needs of the people. If they think that they (read BJP) can win by means of violence, they are wrong,” stated Banerjee. She further stated: “Opposition parties claim that people of North Bengal don’t receive any of the government services. But let me tell you, they only make baseless comments, spread hate and politicise everything.” 

Stating that people in the region have benefitted from the schemes launched by her government, Banerjee said: “Please go and tell these people that in Alipurduar itself, over 3.4 lakh beneficiaries have received Lakshmir Bhandar. And in Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar, the number of people benefiting from these schemes are 4.78 lakh and 6.37 lakh, respectively.” 

Pointing to the various schemes that have helped people in general, she said: “Under the Sabooj Saathi scheme, around two lakh people in Alipurduar, 3.13 lakh in Jalpaiguri and 4.25 lakh beneficiaries in Cooch Behar have benefited. In Swasthya Sathi too, we have provided services to over four lakh beneficiaries in Alipurduar, followed by 5.7 lakh and 7.6 lakh in Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar, respectively. 

A total of 14.39 lakh people have benefited in Alipurduar from our Khadya Sathi scheme. Under the same scheme, 21.67 lakh people in Jalpaiguri and 30.4 lakh people in Cooch Behar have availed of the services.” 

She added: “Over 1.55 crore people have received caste certificates across the state. In Alipurduar alone, 3.82 lakh people have received their caste certificates while the number is 6.18 lakh in Jalpaiguri and in Cooch Behar, over 3 lakh people have received their documents. 

Over 81 lakh beneficiaries have availed benefits from the Kanyashree scheme, followed by 15 lakh under Rupashree, 2.91 lakh under Joy Johar, 10.27 lakh under the Tapashili Bandhu, 1.5 crore under Samajik Suraksha, 16.21 lakh under Somobyathi, and 52 lakh under Saboojshree.” 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/even-if-a-termite-bites-they-send-a-team-from-delhi-says-mamata-505950