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Mamata presents report card ahead of polls, alleges Centre withheld Bengal's long-pending dues

KOLKATA: As the countdown for the assembly polls in West Bengal begins amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Chief Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the Centre has withheld the state's long-pending dues. Releasing the report card Unnayaner Panchali of her government during the past 14 years since 2011, Mamata told media at the state secretariat Nabanna, The central government has withheld our long-pending dues -- one lakh and eighty-seven thousand crore rupees. When will they pay? Elections are nearing but development works in Bengal cant be stopped. Hope, they will release the funds. She claimed, Bengal is a model across the country in terms of development schemes. We have launched different social security schemes in the state since we formed the government. We have created twelve lakh self-help groups in our state. On the issue of job creation, Mamata said, More than two crore jobs have already been generated in the state during the last 14 years and an additional one crore will be created in future. Six economic corridors are under construction. We have decreased unemployment by 40 percent in our state. There has been a massive investment of two lakh crore rupees since we formed the government. She said that West Bengal topped the country in MGNREGA, rural housing, and village road construction four times in a row before the Centre withheld money. The West Bengal government continued with its development activities despite the Centre not clearing the state's dues... we spent Rs 1 lakh crore on Khadya Sathi food security scheme covering 9 crore people and Rs 1,717 crore on Duare Ration for 7 crore people, she also claimed. For Lakshmi Bhandar, a populist scheme for women social security launched in 2021, she said, We are giving monthly Rs 1000 every woman and for those who belong to SC/ST category its Rs 1200. The scheme is lifelong for every woman. In all, two crore and twenty one lakh women get the social security benefits. She added, A woman who belongs to SC/ST category gets Rs 14400 every year. In Bihar, they (NDA government) have given a one-time fund of Rs 10000. She claimed that the state never drifted from its development path in spite of the Centre withholding its dues in crucial schemes involving rural upliftment. She also highlighted the setting up of a Jagannath temple in Digha and the Durga temple, which is undergoing construction on 15 acres of land in New Town. A Mahakaal Mandir (Shiva Temple) will also come in Siliguri in north Bengal, she said.