Didi tells BJP: Either pay our dues or quit office

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday sought the BJP at the Centre to quit office if it fails to release Rs 1.15 lakh crores of pending public welfare funds under various schemes to the state government.

She said at an administrative meeting in Alipurduar of North Bengal, “We are not getting funds for the 100-day job scheme. Funds of the Awas Yojana have also been stopped. The central government collects revenue as tax here but does not share the amount with us. Either you (BJP) release our funds or leave office.”

The Trinamul Congress supremo added, “I am going to visit New Delhi and have sought an appointment to meet the Prime Minister between December 18 and 20. I hope he will give me time.”

With an eye on the Lok Sabha Election next year, she also tried to woo the tea garden workers in the region which has become a stronghold of BJP since the last LS polls in 2019.

Ms Banerjee announced a monthly stipend of Rs 1,500 for workers of the closed tea gardens and distributed 6,442 land deeds among the homeless workers each of whom was promised Rs 1.20 lakhs as financial assistance for building their houses on those plots.

She further directed her government officials to provide the workers with free electricity and healthcare facilities by January of next year and assured land allotment to the migrants who came from Bangladesh.