Mamata Banerjee Issues Ultimatum to Centre: Settle Pending Dues or Face TMC Protest
Kolkata, 27th January 2024: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during a Republic Day event at Raj Bhavan, issued a stern seven-day ultimatum to the Central government, demanding the settlement of all pending dues to the state of West Bengal. Failure to meet this deadline, she warned, would lead to a large-scale protest initiated by the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
According to the records of the West Bengal government, the outstanding amounts from the Centre include Rs 9,330 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Rs 6,900 crore for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Rs 830 crore for the National Health Mission, Rs 770 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, Rs 350 crore for the Swachh Bharat Mission, and Rs 175 crore for mid-day meals, among other allocations. Mamata Banerjee had previously raised this issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting on December 20.
Following the meeting, Prime Minister Modi suggested a joint meeting of West Bengal and central officials to address the pending issues. Subsequently, a delegation of West Bengal government officials visited New Delhi, presenting a detailed report on alleged irregularities in the 100 day’ work scheme and discussing corrective actions with the Union Ministry of Rural Development secretary, Shailesh Kumar Singh.
This ultimatum from Mamata Banerjee comes after previous instances of protests by TMC members, including a demonstration within the state assembly premises in November and a ‘dharna andolan’ at Rajghat in New Delhi led by the party’s national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee. These protests emphasised the urgency of the prompt release of funds by the Central government, particularly on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.
