Trinamool wants direct transfer of MPLADS money to migrant workers
The Trinamool Congress on Sunday urged the Centre to transfer the money, which was saved by suspending the MPLADS fund for two years, directly to the migrant workers in their bank accounts. It also appealed to the central government to clear its dues to West Bengal.
The Trinamool Congress on Sunday (June 7) urged the Centre to transfer the money, which was saved by suspending the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) for two years, directly to the migrant workers in their bank accounts. It also appealed to the central government to clear its dues to West Bengal.
Derek O’Brien, the party’s national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP, told the media on Sunday that the Centre’s past dues to West Bengal was ₹53,000 crore: ₹36,000 crore on account of centrally-supported schemes, ₹11,000 crore as devolution of funds, ₹3,000 crore on unpaid subsidies for food, and ₹3,000 crore from April-May GST dues.
“The total damage due to (cyclone) Amphan is estimated to be ₹1,02,000 crore. The Centre gave ₹1,000 crore only. What about the balance one lakh one thousand crore?” asked Derek O’Brien.
“The state has spent ₹1,200 crore on fighting the coronavirus epidemic. The Centre has given ₹144 crore under the National Health Mission and ₹250 crore under the SDRF. What about the remaining ₹806 crore?” he asked while addressing the media via video link.
Alleging that the economic stimulus package announced by the Centre was “empty” and the reforms “hollow”, he said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s assertion that the FRBM (Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management) limit has been raised from 3 per cent to 5 per cent was “incorrect.”
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“It is incorrect. FRBM unconditional raised from 3 to 3.5 per cent, an increase of just 0.5 per cent. For the other 1.5 per cent, certain conditions have to be met. In the present circumstances, it looks near-impossible for any state to fulfil these conditions,” he said.
O’Brien also said that no assistance has been provided to the unorganised sector in the package announced by the Centre.
He urged the government to transfer the money saved through the discontinuation of the MPLADS funds to the bank accounts of migrant workers. “The Centre stopped MPLADS funds for two years, which is a saving of around ₹8,000 crore. Put ₹10,000 each in the bank accounts of 80 lakh workers in the unorganised sector,” he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
