CM Banerjee seeks appointment with PM Modi next week to discuss pending central dues to Bengal

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has sought time to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at New Delhi next week to discuss pending central dues to the West Bengal government under various centrally-sponsored projects.

A communication has already been forwarded from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) seeking an appointment on this count next week, an insider from the state secretariat said.

He added that in the communication from the CMO, June 10 has been mentioned as the preferred date for the appointment with the Prime Minister.

If the appointment is given by the PMO then CM Banerjee would leave for New Delhi on the night of June 9.

During her stay in New Delhi, CM Banerjee is also likely to meet her party MPs in both Houses of Parliament.

However, the state secretariat insiders said, in all probability, CM Banerjee will not meet any INDIA bloc leaders during her proposed visit to the national Capital next week.

In almost all public rallies in the recent past, CM Banerjee had been vocal against the Union government claiming that the state government is yet to receive Rs 1.75 lakh crore of central dues under various centrally-sponsored schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

However, senior BJP leaders, including Information Technology Cell chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, had claimed that the Centre was forced to stop the release of fresh funds under different centrally-sponsored schemes to the West Bengal government because of blatant siphoning of funds released earlier under such schemes.

In fact, Prime Minister Modi, while addressing a political rally at Alipurduar district in the state last week, had been vocal against the West Bengal government on the issue of corruption.

He also claimed that the common people of the state had been suffering after being denied basic services under these centrally-sponsored schemes because of rampant corruption by Trinamool Congress leaders.

Last Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his address at a political rally in Kolkata also attacked the West Bengal government on the same issues.

IANS