Governor demands white paper from state on Bengal’s financial situation

MP, 30 June 2024, Kolkata: Amid the tussle between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Raj Bhavan over oath-taking ceremony of the two newly-elected MLAs, Governor C V Ananda Bose, alleging that Bengal is facing a financial breakdown, demanded that the state government table a white paper on the state’s financial situation while moving Calcutta High Court against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for “defamation”. 

The Governor, following his meeting with the Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, alleged that Bengal’s financial condition is in a tumultuous state and demanded that the state government table a white paper on Bengal’s financial situation. 

A statement issued by Raj Bhavan read: “The fiscal situation of West Bengal is confronting multiple fiscal risks and public finance management issues exposing serious lapses on the part of the (state) government. 

It is very disturbing, shocking, and shattering to see that West Bengal is facing a financial breakdown. Its public finance is in the doldrums.” 

“Considering the grave nature of the economic scenario, the Governor calls upon the CM upon the authority vested in him under Article 167 of the Constitution read with Rule 30 of the Rules of Business for West Bengal framed under Article 166 of the Constitution, to place a comprehensive report on the state’s financial situation before the council of ministers and issue a White Paper for the information of the people of the state,” the statement said. 

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose refuted Bose’s claim on social media claiming that Bengal’s GDP expanded four times from 4 lakh crore in 2010-11 to over 17 lakh crore in 2023-24. She also claimed the rate of growth in Bengal is 11.4 per cent (national growth rate is 8 per cent). 

She wrote: “Dear Shri Ananda Bose, stop reading despatches from Whatsapp University only. Read Bengal’s Budget Statement instead.” Meanwhile, the Governor is learnt to have approached the High Court with a defamation suit against Mamata Banerjee. 

The plea comes in the aftermath of Banerjee claiming that she was informed that women do not feel safe visiting Raj Bhavan due to recent allegations of sexual harassment against the Governor by a former Raj Bhavan employee. 

Bose has reportedly stated that those holding high offices such as chief minister should refrain from making “erroneous and slanderous” comments. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/guv-demands-white-paper-from-state-on-bengals-financial-situation-570005