Special assistance package a bluff: Mamata

Posted on 3rd Mar 2015 10:46 am by mohit kumar

Kolkata, March 2 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday dismissed as a "bluff" the special assistance proposed by the central government for her state, and demanded the centre stop taking away funds towards repayment of loans.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had proposed a series of sops for Bihar and West Bengal, which are set to hold assembly polls this year and in 2016.

"Developmental projects need money. Money is being taken away by the central government. We are not asking the centre to give money, we are asking to stop taking away money from us," Banerjee said after inaugurating a state-run burial ground at Topsia in east Kolkata.

"The so called 'package' is a bluff. We used to get 61.8 percent. That is being raised to 62 percent," the Trinamool Congress supremo said.

State Finance Minister Amit Mitra had earlier said the total grant to Bengal in 2014 was Rs.4,05,582 crore and in 2015, it is Rs.3,28,277 crore, a reduction of 20 percent.

"The truth is, if all the grants are calculated together, in 2014 61.88 percent was given, in 2015 the share is 62 percent," Mitra had said on Saturday.

Presenting the union budget for 2015-16, Jaitley announced special assistance for the two eastern states on the lines of a package provided to Andhra Pradesh.

Other news

Rahul took 3 daughters of MP in a helicopter: promised in Ujjain... fulfilled in Rajasthan; Student said – will always remember

Rahul Gandhi fulfilled the promise made to three students of MP during the Bharat Jodo Yatra with

Telangana assembly passes resolution for separate high court

Hyderabad, March 18 (IANS) The Telangana assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution

AFG vs ENG: ENG is not able to show its face to anyone, made the most shameful record in World Cup history

England had to suffer a humiliating 69-run defeat at the hands of Afghanistan in the 13th match o

Bharat Jodo Yatra: Will BJP leaders participate in the yatra? There was a stir in the politics of UP due to the invitation of the Congress.

Will BJP leaders also participate in Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra? The leaders of the Congres

Told himself PMO officer, kept looting the fun of government service with Z+ security; Read full story of Kiran Patel

Kiran Patel, the fake Prime Minister's Office (PMO) official caught in Srinagar, did not visit Ka

Parliament: Nine Kashmiri Pandits were killed in three years, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Rajya Sabha

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai has given an important information in the Rajya Sa

Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Ramlala's Aarti will be performed six times a day, passes will be issued; Ashtyam service will be held all eight hours of the day

After the consecration of Ramlala, there is going to be a change in his worship and aarti. The en

What did Biden say on China that the White House had to clarify

US President Joe Biden has said that the US will defend Taiwan if China attacks Taiwan. President

Weather Update 3 September: Heavy rain warning in Himachal, know-how will be the weather in Delhi, UP, and Bihar

Many areas of the country are currently troubled by heat and humidity, while in states like Himac

WHO Election: Tedros became emotional as Director-General again, know how this election is done and what is the responsibility?

Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), has been elected