“The logo resembles BJP symbol…”, Mamata Banerjee meets PM Modi over Bengal’s pending dues

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday along with a delegation of nine TMC MPs over the state’s pending dues in several central-sponsored social security schemes. The total due as pegged by the state is nearly Rs 1.16 lakh crores “on account of various Centrally sponsored schemes and pending claims for natural disasters over the past years”. This meeting came after months of protest by TMC calling it vendetta politics of BJP, the reason why funds were stalled. BJP so far had maintained that central schemes were allegedly appropriated by the State through change of name and in the manner of implementation for political gains.

The chief minister after the meeting confirmed that the prime minister has agreed to have a joint meeting between his office and state officers. “The Prime Minister said today that there would be a joint meeting between his officials and mine. I told him that 155 central teams had already visited the state and found nothing. But if PM wants another meeting then will give whatever clarification is needed. Poor people’s money has been held up, which violates constitutional mandate”, Mamata Banerjee said during a press briefing after her 25-minute-long meeting with the PM. She also stressed that the delegation has demanded a time-bound resolution.

Mamata Banerjee has also submitted a three-page long memorandum to the Prime Minister where she has highlighted that Central schemes have a “substantial state share and the implementation of these schemes is entirely done by the state administration”. She has also expressed her reservation about the conditions given by respective union ministries for the release of funds which also included names, colour theme and logo of the projects. “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”, the memorandum read. She further added that “ the logo being imposed resembles more to the symbol of the ruling party at the Centre, rather than the logo of the Government of India”.

Bengal government claims that apart from other schemes, the Centre has not released funds under MNREGA to the tune of Rs 6911 crore.​