In letter to PM Modi, Mamata seeks dues and drops a word on Bengal’s high growth

The chief minister described the situation as “extraordinary” and said it was causing “great hardship” and creating “major difficulties” in meeting state’s obligations to the people of West Bengal.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday requesting him to release Rs 50,000 crore due to the state and expressed concern over a steady reduction of central funds to the state and inordinate delay in payments.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to PM Modi and sought release of funds due to the state. (HT Photo)

“I write to you with deep concern regarding the steady reduction of central funds to our state and also an inordinate delay in the release of funds due to us,” Mamata’s letter states.

The chief minister described the situation as “extraordinary” and said it was causing “great hardship” and creating “major difficulties” in meeting state’s obligations to the people of West Bengal.

Banerjee said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation for Bengal was delayed for months hampering the smooth functioning of the state treasury.

“The GST compensation due to us for the month of October – November 2019 has been released in February 2020,” the letter alleged.

Banerjee stated that an estimated Rs 36,000 crore for various centrally sponsored schemes and more than Rs 11,000 crores of devolution funds had not been given to the state at a time when it was facing a crunch due to legacy issues.

“Against the backdrop of the outstanding dues of Rs 50,000 crore the state government has also repaid a staggering amount of Rs 3 lakh crore towards debt and interest which was left behind as a legacy by the previous Left Front government,” Banerjee wrote.

She, however, added that despite all these odds the state government has maintained a Gross State Domestic Product of more than 10% in 2019-20 which is higher than the national GDP of 5%.

“I would, therefore, urge upon you to kindly take all necessary action to address the issues so that the state government can usher in more development works,” Banerjee wrote.