Guv praises Mamata in Bengal Assembly session and lauds state govt achievements

PTI, KOLKATA, FEB 10, 2025 : West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Monday described Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as a "visionary, enterprising, and dynamic leader" while highlighting the achievements of the state government over the past year.

Delivering his customary address on the first day of the budget session of the state Assembly, Bose referred to the recently concluded Bengal Global Business Summit, calling it an "overwhelming success" and expressing confidence that the proposed investments, once implemented, would boost economic activity and create employment opportunities for Bengal's youth.

In his 26-minute address, the Governor said that law and order in the state had remained peaceful over the past year. "With the participation of the captains of industries and business delegates from India and 20 partner countries, as many as 212 pacts and letters of intent (LOIs) have been signed, and investment proposals to the tune of Rs 4,40,595 crore have been received. Upon implementation, this will lead to enhanced economic activities in the state and create more employment opportunities for the youth of Bengal," he said.

The Governor mentioned that "all major festivals, including Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Buddha Jayanti, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Mahavir Jayanti, Chhat Puja, Gangasagar Mela, and others, have been celebrated peacefully and gracefully."

Bose further stated that "under the visionary leadership of my Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal has made significant progress in terms of economic growth and other financial parameters over the past 13 years." He highlighted that the state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) had increased to Rs 18.15 lakh crore in 2024-25 from Rs 4.61 lakh crore in 2010-11.

Bose also said that Bengal ranked No. 1 in the country in many sectors of development, including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and skill development. The Governor praised the government for allocating one-third of the state's total expenditure toward the development and empowerment of women.

He lauded the state government’s initiatives, such as 'Kanyashree,' 'Lakshmir Bhandar,' and 'Rupashree,' among other social security schemes. "The state government has taken numerous initiatives over the past 13 years to benefit the minority population, focusing on education, the modernization of madrasas, employment generation, skill development, and sustainable livelihoods," he said.

Despite financial constraints and the non-receipt of central funds, the state government has continued its commitment to employment generation and rural housing, he added. "The state introduced 'Karmashree' and 'Banglar Bari (Gramin)' schemes, which are funded entirely through its own resources," Bose said.

When the Governor was speaking about the state's law and order situation and women's security, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, protested. Adhikari also objected when the Governor spoke about 'Jal Swapno' (the drinking water supply scheme), alleging that it was actually the Centre’s 'Jal Jeevan Mission.' He accused the state government of "changing the name of schemes and taking credit."

BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul also protested when Bose spoke about women's empowerment, raising the issue of the RG Kar rape and murder case.