Mamata presents vote on account, announces pension for all

West Bengal Chief Minister MamataBanerjee Friday sought a vote on account for Rs 2.99 lakhcrore as she opened the doors of state exchequer for commonpeople ahead of the assembly polls, showering the farm sectorwith sops and wooing the elderly and widows with pensions.The opposition BJP staged a noisy walkout shoutingJai Shri Ram slogan, while the Left-Congress combineboycotted her speech.

West Bengal Chief Minister MamataBanerjee Friday sought a vote on account for Rs 2.99 lakhcrore as she opened the doors of state exchequer for commonpeople ahead of the assembly polls, showering the farm sectorwith sops and wooing the elderly and widows with pensions.

The opposition BJP staged a noisy walkout shouting'Jai Shri Ram' slogan, while the Left-Congress combineboycotted her speech. Both termed the largesse an ''electionmanifesto''.

Banerjee presented the vote on account in the absenceof Finance Minister Amit Mitra, who is not keeping well.

The estimates for the first few months of the newfiscal, starting April, will be taken up for discussion overthe next two days before the assembly passes it.

Banerjee, while criticising the Centre for notextending ''necessary help'', insisted the state tirelesslyundertook welfare measures for its people.

The TMC supremo, who is locked in a tug of war withchallenger BJP ahead of the elections over claiming the legacyof Bengal icons, said her government will construct an AzadHind Munument in Kolkata, Jai Hind Bhavans in districts and aState Planning Commission after legendary freeedom fighterSubhas Chandra Bose. She announced an overall outlay of Rs 215crore for the projects.

Seeking to reach out to a vast section of theelectorate, Banerjee announced old age pension for all peopleabove the age of 60 years and widows aged over 18. An amountof Rs 1,000 crore was earmarked for this. She, however, didnot specify the amount they would get as pension.

She said her government proposed to create 1.5 crorenew jobs.

Recalling Bose's famous slogan ''Give me blood, I willgive you freedom'', she asked the people to ''keep faith in me,and I shall give you unconditional and selfless service withutmost dedication''.

She said 20 lakh houses will be built for scheduledcastes and scheduled tribes and their dwellings upgraded forwhich Rs 1,500 crore will be allocated.

Banerjee said Rs 50 crore has been allocated formadrasas recognised by the government but not aided by it.

Seeking to reach out to farmers against the backdropof peasants' protests, Banerjee said annual assistance to eachfarming family under the 'Krishak Bandhu Scheme' will beraised from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000.

''We also request the central government toimmediately release and distribute the financial assistanceunder the Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana,'' she said. The WestBangal government had only recently agreed to implement thescheme in the state.

The chief minister said the Swasthya Sathi card schemeof the state government which provides for cashless healthcover, will be renewed every three years. Rs 1,500 crore hasbeen allocated for the scheme, she said.

She said 100 new schools will be set up in tea gardensof the state besides 100 new English medium schools in areaswith concentrated population of SC and ST communities.

Free rations to people distressed because of COVID-19will continue even after June 2021 for which Rs 1,500 crorehas been allocated.

She also announced setting up of community kitchensnamed 'Maa' for the state's poor and earmarked Rs 100 crorefor it. These kitchens will provide food at a nominal price,but did not specify the amount a beneficiary will have to payfor each meal.

Banerjee announced creation of West Bengal Highway andBridge Corporation which will be entrusted with constructionof new bridges and highways. She also said Rs 150 crore willbe spent on upgrading the Andal airport.

Rural roads spanning 46,000 km will be built over thenext five years, she said.

''It seemed like the CM was presenting the annualbudget and not a vote on account. It was absurd as she wasmaking announcements without proper budgetary allocation,''state BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

Left Front's leader in the House Sujan Chakrabortysaid it was ''laughable'' to see her announce ambitious schemeswhen the tenure of her government was to expire in a couple ofmonths.