Mamata Banerjee is sending a “strongly worded letter” to the Centre reminding it of the virtues of “federal system” and the vices of ignoring it by “bypassing a State Government” when it comes to cash disbursal to various projects funded by New Delhi but earmarked and supervised by the State.
Banerjee has taken a strong note of the “recent developments when the Central Government has been
disbursing funds to the respective departments concerned under which projects are
taking shape instead of routing the same through the Finance Department which is the nodal agency for such purposes,” a senior official quoting Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra said.
Mitra and other senior Cabinet Ministers including Partho Chatterjee reportedly made the comments on Wednesday after emerging from a high-level meeting with the Chief Minister where ways to streamline projects for people’s benefits was discussed threadbare.
“During the meeting it was found that in a host of cases including the 100-days’ work scheme the Centre has been sending the funds directly to the departments instead of the Finance Ministry which is gravely inappropriate considering our federal system,” Mitra said adding, the Chief Minister had asked for a “strongly worded letter” to be shot off to New Delhi.
Chief Minister is also annoyed with Centre’s plans to transfer funds directly to the job-holders’ accounts in the 100-days’ work and other schemes. This, against the backdrop of rising number of complaints of nepotism and misuse of funds earmarked for social projects.
“In a federal structure you cannot take such steps by-passing the State Governments because it is the State Governments that earmark and supervise projects and the funds are sent to the State Governments and not a particular department.This is direct attack on our federal structure. A State Government cannot be kept in the dark on such issues. This is a clear sign of the Central Government’s gradual tilt towards imposing economic dictatorship,” Banerjee has said adding, both the State Government and the Trinamool Congress will take up the issue at appropriate levels as and when required.
The Bengal opposition parties have of late complained of large-scale nepotism and misuse when it came to the utilisation of central funds earmarked for projects. Reports of corruption and discrimination in spending central funds came from districts like Howrah, Birbhum, East and West Midnapores and Coochbehar sources said.
large-scale misuse of 100-days’ funds was reported early this month from the Mayor’s own ward in Howrah before the case was hurriedly hushed up, insiders said welcoming the central move to directly send funds to the job-holders’ accounts.
Interestingly the opposition-run municipal boards have attacked the Chief Minister for the same reason accusing of withholding funds required for providing civic projects. Siliguri Mayor and former Bengal Minister Asok Bhattacharya recently attacked Banerjee saying, “before attacking others Chief Minister should retrace her own steps.”