Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday almost rolled out the party's Lok Sabha poll manifesto as she read out some of the provisions in the state budget on February 8 to remind people how she fulfilled her promises made before the 2021 Assembly polls.
Although Mamata did not mention Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trinamul insiders said she intended to counter the Modi ki Guarantee slogan, likely to be a centerpiece of the BJP campaign.
“If we are in power, you will get free of cost ration, Lakshmir Bhandar, Kanyasree, Sikshashree, Tant Sathi, Samudra Sathi, Medhashree, and countless other (social welfare) schemes. Others make promises but we fulfil them on the ground. The things I promised before the 2021 elections, I did for our people,” said Mamata at a government event in Hooghly’s Arambagh.
“No state or country in the world can compete with us in terms of development. This is because, despite Delhi’s best attempts to deprive us, we have managed to bring these welfare schemes for our people,” added the Trinamul chief. “Bengal knows how to do things.... If I give my word to someone, I am willing to die but not break my word.”
The state budget made it clear that Trinamul wants to use its welfare-oriented, “pro-people” policies to take on the BJP.
She stressed the BJP-led Centre’s "stepmotherly" treatment towards Bengal, likely to be a major poll plank. “In addition to the Rs 1.18 lakh crore, they have not given us dues of Rs 41,000 crore. This is official data from state government officers, not my claim.”
She again said 21 lakh MGNREGS job card holders would be get pending wages from February 21 from state coffers.
The state pledged to use its resources to make up for the damages caused by Delhi's funds freeze on MGNREGS and PM Awas Yojana. The state earmarked Rs 3,700 crore towards clearing some of the dues of 21 lakh job card holders. Under Karmasree, the state will ensure at least 50 days of work for each job card holder from May.
A breakup of revenue expenditure shows the state intends to spend Rs 1,32,784.54 crore on social services in 2024-25, up 21.18 per cent from Rs 1,09,571.89 crore, the revised estimate of 2023-24. It covers spending on education, health, housing, ST-SC-OBC welfare, among others.
