West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Accuses Centre of Withholding Funds, Vows to Continue Development
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the central government of deliberately withholding funds owed to the state, but said development work would continue regardless of what she described as “political discrimination.” Speaking at an administrative review meeting in Bolpur, Banerjee reiterated allegations that the Centre has been persistently depriving West Bengal after failing to “gain political control” over it. She also referred to recent reports of alleged harassment of Bengali communities in several BJP-ruled states. “The Centre has stopped releasing funds. But even in this situation, we must carry forward development work,” Banerjee told senior officials and elected representatives. “The work will be funded entirely by the state.” She outlined a decentralised funding plan in which district councils (Zilla Parishads) and Panchayat Samitis will each contribute 5% of local development funds, while Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) will allocate INR 1 million (approximately $12,000) each from their local area development budgets. The remaining funds will be provided by the state government, she said, adding that all contributions will be coordinated through the respective District Magistrates. Banerjee has frequently accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of financially discriminating against opposition-ruled states, particularly West Bengal, where her Trinamool Congress party has held power since 2011. The federal government has not immediately responded to her latest allegations.
West Bengal CM Protests BLO Training, Says State Was Not Informed
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday expressed strong objections over the Election Commission’s ongoing training of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), claiming her administration had not been informed in advance. Speaking at a public event in Kolkata, Banerjee said she was unaware that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had initiated the training process under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. She alleged that no permission was sought from the state’s chief secretary, raising questions over what she described as a unilateral move by the ECI. “The training has started without informing me or the state government. Why was the state kept in the dark?” Banerjee asked, adding that district magistrates had also failed to notify her office. She warned BLOs not to exclude any legitimate voters from the rolls and reminded them that they remain employees of the state government. “I urge BLOs to ensure that no name is wrongly deleted from the voter list. If someone is away for a few days or has gone on vacation, that doesn’t mean their name should be removed,” Banerjee said. “Many Bengali-speaking citizens are already facing harassment. We must stand by them.” The ECI has commenced training for BLOs across multiple districts including Nadia, North and South 24 Parganas, and Murshidabad as part of the SIR process, which aims to update electoral rolls and ensure that only eligible Indian citizens remain registered. Similar exercises have recently begun in Bihar, marking the first SIR there since 2003. According to officials, the current drive will expand to other regions in phases and is being seen as part of preliminary preparations ahead of nationwide electoral roll revisions. The controversy comes amid a politically sensitive time in West Bengal, where concerns over voter eligibility, alleged infiltration, and electoral transparency have heightened tensions between the state government and the central election authority.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Accuses Centre of Withholding Funds, Vows to Continue Development
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the central government of deliberately withholding funds owed to the state, but said development work would continue regardless of what she described as “political discrimination.” Speaking at an administrative review meeting in Bolpur, Banerjee reiterated allegations that the Centre has been persistently depriving West Bengal after failing to “gain political control” over it. She also referred to recent reports of alleged harassment of Bengali communities in several BJP-ruled states. “The Centre has stopped releasing funds. But even in this situation, we must carry forward development work,” Banerjee told senior officials and elected representatives. “The work will be funded entirely by the state.” She outlined a decentralised funding plan in which district councils (Zilla Parishads) and Panchayat Samitis will each contribute 5% of local development funds, while Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) will allocate INR 1 million (approximately $12,000) each from their local area development budgets. The remaining funds will be provided by the state government, she said, adding that all contributions will be coordinated through the respective District Magistrates. Banerjee has frequently accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of financially discriminating against opposition-ruled states, particularly West Bengal, where her Trinamool Congress party has held power since 2011. The federal government has not immediately responded to her latest allegations.
