Now, Mamata slams UPA for cash transfer scheme
TUESDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2012 00:37 PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | NEW DELHI
UPA’s “game-changer” move to transfer cash payout of subsidies directly to beneficiaries from January next year faced a strong opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday. The Trinamool Congress chief also questioned the rationale behind rolling out the scheme without proper mechanism for smooth transaction of funds.
“We do not agree with the scheme. West Bengal never agreed for this. How will you transfer the cash? What is the mechanism? Where is the machinery? There must be some mechanism so that money can reach (the beneficiaries),” she told reporters at Parliament.
In Delhi for a meeting with industry leaders outside West Bengal, Banerjee spent few hours on Monday at Parliament. This was Mamata’s first visit to Parliament after her party withdrew support to the UPA Government in protest against its reforms moves. Opposition to the cash transfer scheme is her latest.
“So many areas of this country does not have bank of post offices. Implementing the cash transfer scheme without setting up these infrastructures would mean the beneficiary would not get his money,” Banerjee said, asking the Government to first open accounts for all the people so that they receive payment for NREGA and other social development programme.
Extending her party’s support to the quota in promotion for SC and ST employees, Banerjee however played to the OBC and Mulsim gallery suggesting “something should be done for them, as well”. Banerjee said the Trinamool stands for the uplift of SC and ST.
Banerjee claimed West Bengal has passed the OBC reservation Bill, in which 13 to 14 per cent of the Muslims will also be benefitted. “I will be happy if they do good things for the Muslims, for OBC and for economic backward class also. We have to also think of the minorities in OBCs,” Banerjee said.
The Trinamool chief batted for a scheme for economic backward class and said West Bengal was already planning to do it. “SC and ST derive benefit but minority backward class does not get it. I cannot see one set of people will get food and the other will not get it. So I want special provisions for economic backward class also,” she asserted.
Banerjee also tried to score a point over the UPA over the Land Acquisition Bill in saying her Cabinet in West Bengal has already cleared the land Bill for the State. “We have cleared the land Bill. After the Central Government clears it, we will then bring that into an Act. Our land Bill is ready for agricultural and industrial purposes. We are not doing any forceful acquistion of land. We are pro-industry and pro-agriculture,” the Chief Minister said.
After meeting some industry leaders here in the evening, Banerjee claimed representatives from the public and private sectors had some apprehensions about West Bengal which she cleared. She also urged upon industry leaders to invest in 32 different sectors in the State.
Terming the financial situation in West Bengal as “precarious”, she accused the previous Left Front Government of making West Bengal totally bankrupt. “Our revenue earnings are Rs21,000 crore and RBI takes away Rs26,000 crore. Our interests go on increasing every year. I can not govern like this? We are victims of circumstances,” Banerjee said. She reiterated demand for debt restructuring and a moratorium (on interest payment).
http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/116308-now-mamata-slams-upa-for-cash-transfer-scheme.html