The allocation of funds for a slew of infrastructural projects by the central government in north Bengal over the past few months has made leaders of the saffron camp and Mamata Banerjee’s party wrestle and take credit for the projects.

While BJP has claimed that it is fulfilling the promises which were made before the Parliament and Assembly elections to the people of this region, Trinamul, on the other hand, has underscored that the state government is playing a key role in implementation of the projects by sharing costs and by providing required land.

In the last one year, a number of announcements involving allocation of funds have been made by the Centre for Siliguri and north Bengal as a whole.

Among these include 1,884 crores for development of Bagdogra airport, 1,100 crores for a four/six-lane road between Balason bridge and Sevoke army cantonment (from northwest to northeast of Siliguri), 350 crores for development of New Jalpaiguri station, 1,000 crores for development of NH 10 between Sevoke and Rangpo and also funds for a second bridge over Teesta near Sevoke.

Added to it is the allocation of funds under the second edition of AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation) for drinking water supply schemes of Mirik, Kalimpong, and Siliguri.

“Siliguri has been ignored by the state government for years. It is the Narendra Modi government and our party that has focused on Siliguri’s development and thus, crores are being allocated for major infrastructural schemes,” said Shankar Ghosh, the BJP MLA of Siliguri.

Gautam Deb, the mayor, however, pointed out that BJP is trying to undermine the state’s contribution.

He mentioned that for the drinking water project of Siliguri, the state will have to bear 67 per cent of the costs while the Centre will provide the remaining fund.

“For other projects like airport expansion and construction of highways, the chief minister and her government have consistently worked to confirm that the adequate land is ready for execution of these projects. BJP leaders have the habit to twist things and try to prove that they alone have done everything,” said Deb.

The BJP leadership has hinted that they will highlight the projects, which, they said, will boost the regional economy of north Bengal.

“We are meeting the promises we had made to the people of this region. In the coming months, there will be more important announcements,” said Raju Bista, the Darjeeling MP and a national spokesperson of the party.

Trinamul leaders however scoffed at him. “The MP should come up with details as to how much money he has spent from his own fund for Siliguri,” said Ranjan Sarkar, the deputy mayor.