Centre releases Rs 1,400 crore for Bengal rural roads amid funds row
Times of India | 30 November 2024
12 Kolkata: On Friday, when Bengal assembly passed a resolution against Centre for financial deprivation, the latter decided to disburse Rs 1,400 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. This came after an embargo on funds for almost two years, as even money for MGNREGA and PMAY had been kept on hold.
State panchayat minister Pradip Majumdar, who was vocal in the assembly highlighting Bengal's deprivation, said he too heard about Centre's decision to release funds for construction of rural roads in Bengal. "But I cannot confirm it till the money comes, and I can only speak about it on Monday as I am not in office now," he said.
Majumdar said he pursued the rural development ministry for a long time for the release of funds and held talks with the ministry's secretary, Sailesh Singh. He said 40 central teams visited Bengal but they did not find anything wrong and did not give any adverse statement about rural roads that the state constructed.
The state applied for constructing 5,000 km of roads in rural Bengal, and out of it, Centre cleared proposal for 3,000 km. In 2022, Centre had released Rs 340 crore. Centre has a 60% share in this rural road scheme.
Trinamool MLAs on Friday slammed BJP for not releasing funds for Bengal after they lost the 2021 assembly polls, and they pointed out that for it, the saffron party lost all six assembly bypolls.
Centre had stopped funds to Bengal under PMGSY after Bengal renamed it as Bangla Gram Sadak Yojana, an official said.