New Delhi, Dec 20: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged to release dues of nearly Rs 1.16 lakh crore from the Government of India on account of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes and pending claims for natural disasters over past years.

CM of West Bengal @MamataOfficial Ji, along with a delegation of MPs called on PM @narendramodi. pic.twitter.com/SQXB9srIWi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 20, 2023

In a letter dated December 20 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Mamata Banerjee said, "There is a due of nearly Rs 1.16 lakh crore from Government of India on account of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes and pending claims for natural disasters over past years. The outstanding dues include 'core of the core' social schemes like MGNREGS, PMAY, PMGSY, NHM etc."

She further wrote that despite compliance of the CSS guidelines by the State, the central share due for Mahatma Gandhi West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has not been released by the Ministry of Rural Development nearly for the past two financial years.

"The MGNREGA payment to the tune of nearly Rs 6911 crore - Rs 3732 crore is against wage liability and Rs 3179 crore against non-wage liabilities pending. Similarly, central share has not been released for 11,01,731 houses sanctioned under PM Awaas Yojana in spite of state's special initiative for identifying deserving households. Recently, I have drawn your attention to withholding of fund under National Health Mission by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare," the letter stated.

She stated that most of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes have a substantial state share and the implementation of these schemes is entirely done by the state administration.

"I would like to bring your kind information that it is really very unfortunate that ministries are imposing upon the states to adopt the central name, logo and colour and making it conditional for release of funds. This is not only unfair but also against the spirit of cooperative federalism. I once again urge you to impress upon various ministries of the Government of India to release the funds that are due to the state without any further delay and without any political considerations," she added.

CM Mamata Banerjee said that the GSDP of West Bengal during the last 12 years has increased from Rs 4.60 lakh crore in 2010-11 to Rs 15.54 lakh crore in 2022-23, an increase of 3.37 times.

"I hope you are kindly aware that despite the legacy of the huge burden of nearly Rs 2 lakh crore of debt of the previous regime and even after repaying- a staggering amount of Rs 5 lakh crore towards debt and interest (debt of Rs 1.98 lakh crore and interest Rs 3.23 lakh crore) to square off the loan burden so far, West Bengal has achieved unprecedented progress during the period from 2011 to 2023," she added.

Read: National News

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) party has been protesting against the central government, alleging a delay in fund allocation under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and other social security schemes for West Bengal.

However, the Ministry of Rural Development has stated that the release of funds for West Bengal was stopped from March 9, 2022, in accordance with Section 27 of MGNREGA because of the state's non-compliance with the directives of the central government. (ANI)

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