Bengal deprived of coal, says Mamata

Bengal deprived of coal, says Mamata

Kolkata, June 10 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Centre of depriving the state of getting coal for generating power for the last six months so that the eastern state is forced to resort to load shedding.

"Central government did not provide coal to Bengal for power generation in the last six months. Rakes were not alloeted to transport coal. It is to force the state to resort to load shedding. It is unfortunate. It is an attempt to paint it as a failed state," Banerjee said at the state Scretariat, Nabanna, after a review meeting.

Teriming the NITI Aayog as a "powerless" institution Banerjee she would not attend the meeting scheduled on June 15 as there was ano agenda" for the interest of the state.

"NITI Aayog is a powerless institution. They selected five districts of Jangalmhal and they charted out a plan which we will have to endorse during the meeting. Development works were undertaken us. What can we do in attending the meeting? Nothing would be discussed for the interest of the state. They must reinstate Planning Commission," she said.

Banerjee lamented the Narendra Modi-led Central government abolished the Planning Commission, as also the inter-state council which were powerful bodies.

Highlighting the welfare schemes inaugurated by her government and increasing the fund allocation in social and infrastructure projects, she said the Centre did not restructure the debt that it inherited from the erstwhile Left Front government in 2011.

"We have urged restructuring, but they did not pay heed to our demand. We believe that our financial performance is very good. We have to repay RS 56,000 crore in the current year on account of debt servicing. So far, Rs 2.34 lakh core has been repaid," Banerjee added.

--IANS

bdc/ssp/prs

(This story was auto-published from a syndicated feed. No part of the story has been edited by The Quint.)