West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday to address the issue of pending central funds for the state.
She said the prime minister proposed that officials from the state and Centre can sit together and clear the issues.
Speaking to the media after the meeting in the Parliament complex along with nine party MPs, Banerjee said 155 central teams have already visited West Bengal.
Discussing the pending MGNREGA funds, Banerjee emphasized the constitutional obligation to pay workers, expressing concern over the absence of allocation in the 2022-23 budget.
"We didn't even get a penny for 100 days of work (under MGNREGA) in the budget for 2022-23. Funds for (Pradhan Mantri) Aawas Yojna have been stopped, rural development schemes have been shut, and the health mission programme has also been shut. We are also not getting funds under the Finance Commission," said Banerjee.
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Banerjee stated that the Centre owed Rs 1.15 lakh crore to West Bengal and stressed the importance of not withholding money intended for the welfare of the poor in a federal structure.
"Our officials have given all the clarification they asked for. PM has said a joint meeting will be held by the Centre and state officials. I said we have given clarification 155 times. We can do that once again, they can decide the formula. In a federal structure, the central government has a share and the state also has a share," she said.
"It is not right to stop the money for poor people," Banerjee said, adding that the Centre owed Rs 1.15 lakh crore to West Bengal.
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The Trinamool Congress had earlier launched an agitation this year regarding the issue of pending dues.
How did the Bengal BJP react?
The West Bengal BJP on Wednesday described the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as a mere "political photo op," expressing scepticism about her commitment to addressing the financial needs of the state.
The party questioned the presence of a Trinamool Congress delegation accompanying Banerjee instead of administrative officials during the meeting. They also claimed that the meeting aimed at conveying a message ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, emphasising that the TMC is solely focused on the state's interests.
BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya remarked, "She was not at all serious about securing due funds for Bengal. She is more interested in a political photo op. If she genuinely cared about the state's dues, she would have been accompanied by administrative officials such as the chief secretary and finance secretary. However, she opted to bring her party MPs."
"If the TMC government genuinely sought the due funds, they would have submitted details of previous fund expenditures. Instead, they are playing to the gallery before the elections," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
