KOLKATA, Oct 17: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said work of several centrally-funded schemes across the country had come to a halt with the Centre engaging in the politics of changing names of welfare schemes.
She, however, assured of cooperation with the government in constructive work.
“The work for several projects has stopped across India because Centre has not been able to find a name for them,” Banerjee told a press conference here after a party meeting.
“The work of the Jawaharlal Nehru Renewal Mission has come to a halt for three months in West Bengal,” she said.
Days after the Congress opposed the removal of the Gandhi family members’ names from the central welfare schemes, the Trinamool Congress supremo said, “A government goes and another government comes, but why there should be change in the names of government schmes?
She said, “We want good governance. If there are any difficulties we can help in any constructive work (of the Modi government.”
She said that noted economists and NGOs have protested against the Centre’s decision to dilute MNREGA.
“The central government wants to take away a source of livelihood from the poor. The new central government wants to restrict 100 days’ work Scheme to a few select blocks only,” she said.
“Centre has not yet released funds for 100 Days’ work. We will carry on our agitation against this,” Banerjee said adding, in terms of expenditure for job creation under 100 days’ work, Bengal is No 1. “We are far ahead of Gujarat”.
“Dilution of 100 days’ work scheme will have a detrimental effect on the people of the country,” she said.
She also slammed the Centre’s sending orders to the DMs bypassing the state government, wondering “is this federalism”?
“A culture of irresponsible comments, and unparliamentary utterances is being practised by them. We do not endorse such culture,” Banerjee said.
She said that the “condition under this government reminds me of Emergency. Is the Centre giving a message that only BJP delegations will go to UN? No other party will accompany the PM?” she said.
“Earlier, a PM took all-party delegations to the UN with him. This year it was cancelled. This is murder of democracy,” she said.
“The federal structure of the country is disturbed under the new government,” she alleged. (PTI)
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