In a retaliatory attack on the BJP for raising questions on improper distribution of relief money to the Amphan cyclone victims and other corrupt practices, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday wanted to know about the fate of the amount collected in the name of Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM Cares Fund).
Launching a scathing attack on the Centre she said the term BJP implied “garbage of lies.” The saffron outfit was always questioning about “minor irregularities” in distribution of Amphan relief but “when their case comes they keep mum … let me ask them as to what is the fate of the PM Cares Fund … How much have you received in that Fund and how much have you spent from that … you only gave some ventilators for pandemic and are making tall claims … here you are spreading garbage of lies about minor irregularities in Amphan relief which were later rectified … whereas you gave only Rs 1,000 crore for Amphan relief,” the Chief Minister said.
Attacking the Centre’s “dictatorial” ways Banerjee said even the television channels had been hijacked by the powers that be. “The Prime Minister’s Department decides as to who will head a particular channel and who will work in a particular media and who will not … the BJP decides what news will to and what won’t … but remember the people are watching all these and they will not spare you … they will give a befitting reply in every inch,” Banerjee said adding she respected the Prime Minister’s chair but never supported spreading of lies.
“We respect the PM’s Chair but don’t accuse and abuse every day bringing false charges and false information just for the sake of politics,” the Chief Minister said. Whenever anyone like raised questions on the BJP’s style of functioning they are brow-beaten by the central agencies, she said.
On the question of alleged blocking of central projects like Ayushman Bharat or Kisan Sanman Nidhi the Chief Minister said “we already have better and more universal scheme than theirs which is why the projects launched by the Bengal Government have earned worldwide acclaim.”
She said her Government already had launched Swasthya Saathi health insurance scheme fully funded by the State Government and for the entire 10 crore people of the State “whereas you are offering a scheme based on 60-40 partnership of the Centre and State … so when we already have a better scheme why shall we take yours.”
Emerging from a Cabinet meeting the Chief Minister earlier informed about clearance provided to a number of employment-generating projects including allotment of additional 100 acres of land to Kolkata’s IT hub for 20 companies who had asked for setting shop in the city. Besides the Government also cleared additional lands for IT giant Wipro which had earlier asked for lands, the Chief Minister said.
On the “huge response” the Government received in the first day of its “Duarey Duarey Sarkar (Government at door steps) programme via which various schemes like Swasthya Saathi were taken to the masses through 20,000 camps. The project will continue for 2 months. “We have received 1.18 lakh applications for various schemes which is a good response from the people,” Banerjee said.