State funding schemes, Centre taking credit: Mamata
Namkhana (WB), Dec 27 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday directed officials to rename central schemes, claiming the state was bearing 80 per cent cost of these programmes "but the Union government was taking credit for them".
She said the state government was willing to fund these schemes entirely.
"I have seen that though the state is spending 80 per cent to run these schemes, the centre is taking the entire credit. Why will this happen? Change the old name. Rename Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana to Bangla Sadak Yojana, so that people know the reality. In such cases, we will take responsibility of running the entire scheme. Please see that the names are changed," she said.
The chief minister was speaking at an administrative review meeting here in South 24 Parganas district.
She also alleged the centre was taking credit for paying the farmers under the Fasal Bima Yojana, though the state government was making the payments.
"We are paying them, but the BJP is claiming that they are paying the farmers. They cannot do this politics," she said.
Banerjee on Tuesday had accused the Centre of making false claims in providing crop insurance to farmers in the state, and said the state has made 80 per cent of the insurance payout.
Banerjee has been a strident critic of the BJP government and among the foremost opposition leaders against it.
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Cal HC urges EC to dispose of TMC complaint over police observer's meeting with BJP nominee
Kolkata (PTI): The Calcutta High Court has requested the Election Commission to address the TMC's complaint that a police observer in South 24 Parganas district for the assembly polls met a BJP candidate in violation of norms.
The TMC prayed for the removal of the said officer from the role of police observer in four assembly constituencies -- Magrahat Purba, Magrahat Paschim, Diamond Harbour and Falta.
The EC stated before the court that the observer met the candidate in an official capacity at the designated conference room for meetings at a state government-owned tourist lodge in Diamond Harbour, and there was nothing confidential about it as alleged by the petitioner.
Justice Krishna Rao, after hearing the parties in the matter last week, "requested" the Election Commission of India to dispose of the complaint filed by the TMC and to communicate the order to the petitioner.
The TMC alleged in the petition that during his stay at the tourist lodge, the officer held a private and unofficial meeting with the candidate fielded by the BJP from the Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency.
Senior advocate D S Naidu, representing the Election Commission, stated before the court that sub-clause 3 of Clause 3 of the Observer’s Handbook provides that for all purposes, a police observer would act as the eyes and ears of the ECI during the period of election and provide direct input to the commission.
He stated before the court that a police observer has to meet the public as well as the candidates and to submit a report to the Commission.
Naidu further submitted that the TMC's allegation that the police observer in question met with the BJP candidate in a personal manner is baseless, as he met the said candidate in an official capacity along with others.
