Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressing the media at Gangasagar, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal on January 4, 2023. Photo Credit: Debashish Bhaduri
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday targeted the central government and accused Sending “politically motivated” teams To the state
“They are sending teams – A team, B team, C team, A to Z teams – for political reasons. When a firecracker also bursts, A team comes, there is money for someone’s business, B team is coming.
Ms. Banerjee is visiting Sagar to take stock of the preparations for the Gangasagar Mela to be held in the second week of January.
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The Chief Minister’s remarks came on a day when the Ministry of Rural Development has sent two teams for investigation. Allegations of disturbances in PM housing scheme, A letter sent by the ministry to the state government said that two teams would visit Malda and Purba Medinipur districts for “field inspection and quick verification of PMAY-G homes”. Allegations of irregularities in the housing scheme have come from several districts and local people have protested on the issue.
Ms Banerjee said that of the 50 lakh names registered under the PM Awas Yojana, her government had removed 17 lakh of them. “BJP leaders, who already have two-three-storey buildings, have taken money from the rural housing scheme. We are probing everything,” she said.
Several BJP leaders, including Leader of Opposition Shubhendu Adhikari, have appreciated the initiative of the Center to send teams to the state.
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MNREGA dues
The Chief Minister also staged a sit-in Non-payment of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) dues to the state and said that poor people’s money has not been paid by the Centre. “How many times shall I repeat the same thing”, Ms Banerjee said, pointing out that she had taken up the issue with the Center several times. He had written letters and also raised the issue in his personal meetings with the Prime Minister. The Center has alleged irregularities in the implementation of MGNREGS in the state.
The Center has not released funds for MGNREGS since December 2021 and 100 days of work has been affected in the state.