All welfare schemes in the hills funded by Central Govt: Raju Bista

EOI, DARJEELING, DEC 10, 2023 :  The BJP has taken exception to the Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee laying claim to a slew of development and health projects for the hills, asserting all the schemes were funded by the central government. In an official programme on December 8 at Kurseong, the Bengal CM announced a number of projects. Banerjee was in the halls to attend a family wedding function. 

Darjeeling MP and BJP national spokesperson, Raju Bista said all the health projects Banerjee inaugurated were actually funded by the central government. "The development of Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency is entirely funded by the central government. There is not a single scheme being implemented in the hills, that has been funded entirely by the Bengal government. 

All the schemes being implemented in our region, including through the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration are funded by the central government," said Bista. 

The Darjeeling MP said he had sought details in parliament from the minister of state for health and family welfare in funds allocated by the central government towards augmenting health infrastructure in Bengal and particularly in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency. "According to the answer of the MoS for health and family welfare to my query, the central government has approved all the funds. 

All the health related projects that the Bengal chief minister is pretending to inaugurate or lay foundation stone for, from Kurseong recently have been actually been funded by the union government," said Bista. 

Bista said the reply of the MoS clearly states that for the financial year 2022- 23, under the National Health Mission a total of Rs. 4707.81 crore, under the Fifteenth Finance Commission Rs.829.20 crore and under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission a total of Rs.150.19 crore have been approved for West Bengal. The Darjeeling MP further said a total of 22 Block Public Health Units of which 4 each in Darjeeling and Uttar Dinajpur and 2 in Kalimpong had been sanctioned for Bengal. 

This aside 121building less sub centers and 5 primary health centers of which 3 in Darjeeling 6 in Uttar Dinajpur and 1 in Kalimpong, a total of 384 urban health and wellness centers of which 21 in Darjeeling, 14 in Uttar Dinajpur and 1 in Kalimpong and a total of 5 integrated public health labs and 5 critical care blocks of which 1 in Darjeeling had been sanctioned for Bengal by the central government for the FY 2022-23. 

The BJP national spokesperson said on behalf of the people from Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency he was grateful to Prime minister Narendra Modi and union health minister for prioritizing the health and well being of people of his region