Murshidabad (West Bengal): In a sharp attack against the Modi government at the Centre, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that Bengal faces discrimination when it comes to the disbursement of MGNREGA funds. The Bengal government is running the MGNREGA scheme on its own, without central help, the Chief Minister added.
"Why is West Bengal facing such discrimination despite being number one in MGNREGA implementation? We are running the scheme without any central assistance," Banerjee lashes out at the BJP government while speaking at an administrative review meeting at Sagardighi in Murshidabad district. She said that the Centre owes West Bengal Rs 6,000 crore for the scheme. It is not releasing MGNREGA funds to the state, she added even though the state had flagged this issue.
Pointing out that this allocated fund does not belong to the central government alone but it is the right of the labourers and poor people inhabiting the state, Mamata said that the centre cannot deprive Bengalis of 'rice'. Rice is the staple food of Bengalis often consumed by the poor.
In a sharp protest, Mamata said that Bengalis won't die of hunger because they are self-sufficient when it comes to agricultural produce. She said that she won't take revenge for this injustice but she will bring about change in the system.
The West Bengal government has recently seen central teams visiting the state. Last week the Union Education Ministry stated that the Centre would be sending teams to the state to inspect the mid-day meal programme in state schools. Reacting to these 'politically motivated' inspections, Banerjee alleged they were being sent with the intention "to harass" the state government.
"A central team is sent to West Bengal even if a firefly enters a BJP leader's house," she said. "Why are such teams not sent to Uttar Pradesh, Delhi or Gujarat over any incident?" she asked.
