Kolkata: During the final day of her sit-in protest in the city to demand the release of central welfare funds, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced that her government would clear the dues under the 100-day job scheme through direct bank transfer (DBT) to around 21 lakh workers on February 21.
Referring to the Centre, the Trinamul Congress supremo declared at her protest site off Red Road, “Every day I see BJP advertisements filled with lies in the name of public welfare while they withhold our dues. I do not need your charity. On February 21, we will pay 21 lakh workers of the 100-day job scheme their dues through DBT to their bank accounts.”
Dilip Ghosh, BJP MP from Midnapore, questioned why Ms. Banerjee did not pay the amount to the recipients in the last three years and staged a dharna. Meanwhile, Governor CV Ananda Bose returned from New Delhi after meeting Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and expressed hope for the release of the pending central funds.
He stated at the Kolkata Airport, “As governor, I have a duty to the people of Bengal to take care of their welfare. I had been to the government of India. This was the second visit in a few days. The basic idea was to see whether funds can be obtained for the welfare of the people of Bengal.”
Mr. Bose added, “Discussions were held on this. The result has been very, very positive, particularly the Prime Minister has been very keen that whatever would be done for the welfare of the people of Bengal should be done without delay.”