Mamata Banerjee Announces State's Initiative to Implement Ghatal Master Plan Amid Centre's Delay
Trinamul MP Deepak Adhikari's Longstanding Demand to Address Flood-Prone Areas in Ghatal
As she read aloud some of the clauses in the state budget on February 8 to remind people how she fulfilled her promises made before to the 2021 Assembly polls, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday virtually unveiled the party's platform for the Lok Sabha elections.
Despite not mentioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mamata was reportedly planning to refute the Modi ki Guarantee slogan, which is expected to be the focal point of the BJP campaign, according to Trinamul officials.
You will get cost-free rations, Lakshmir Bhandar, Kanyasree, Sikshashree, Tant Sathi, Samudra Sathi, Medhashree, and several more social welfare programs if we take over. While others make promises, we follow through on them. "I fulfilled the promises I made to our people prior to the 2021 elections," Mamata said at a government function in Hooghly's Arambagh.
"We are unmatched in terms of progress by any state or nation on the planet. This is because, in spite of Delhi's greatest efforts to deny us, we have succeeded in introducing these welfare programs for the people of Trinamul," the chief said. "Bengal is a skilled worker. If I swear to someone, I'm willing to die, but I won't break my word."
It is evident from the state budget that Trinamul intends to challenge the BJP with its welfare-focused, "pro-people" policies.
She emphasized Bengal's "stepmotherly" treatment by the BJP-led Centre, which is probably going to be a key election platform. "They have not given us dues of Rs 41,000 crore in addition to the Rs 1.18 lakh crore." This is not my assertion; rather, it is official data from state government officials.
She reiterated that starting on February 21, the 21 lakh MGNREGS employment card holders will get their overdue pay from state coffers.
The state promised to compensate Delhi's funding block on MGNREGS and PM Awas Yojana with its own resources. For the purpose of paying off part of the debt owed by 21 lakh employment card holders, the state set aside Rs 3,700 crore. Beginning in May, the state will guarantee each employment card bearer at least 50 days of work under Karmasree.
According to a breakdown of income and expenditure, the state plans to spend Rs 1,32,784.54 crore on social services in 2024–25, up 21.18 percent from the revised projection of Rs 1,09,571.89 crore for 2023–24. It includes, among other things, expenditure on housing, health care, education, and ST-SC-OBC welfare.
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