3 min readKolkataFeb 16, 2023 06:24 AM IST
First published on: Feb 16, 2023 at 05:36 AM IST
WITH THE panchayat polls round the corner, the state government has kept its focus on the schemes benefiting rural Bengal in the budget presented on Wednesday. Both Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also hinted in their remarks after the budget speech that rural Bengal would be in focus in the coming financial year. Bhattacharya also said in her budget speech, “Our honourable Chief Minister has always given priority to the welfare of common people.”
She added, “Agriculture registered significant growth in our state with holistic development in the farm sector and allied activities. An additional area of 33,904 acres of cultivable land has been brought under irrigation during 2022-23 by completing renovation of medium and minor irregation schemes.”
Keeping the rural population in mind, Bhattacharya said, “In order to give additional relief to farmers, the state has proposed full waiver of water rate on irrigation water as was being levied from farmers under the West Bengal Irrigation (Imposition of Water Rate for Damodar Valley Corporation Water) Act, 1958 and The West Bengal Irrigation (Imposition of Water Rate) Act,1974. A total of Rs 30 crore has been allocated for this purpose.”
She also proposed to waive off agricultural income tax on tea gardens and has exempted payment of rural employment cess. The Finance Minister announced a special scheme, ‘Matsyajeebi Bandhu’, for fishermen and a project named ‘Rastashree’ for strengthening the existing roads and connectivity to rural areas. “The state has proposed to allocate Rs 3,000 crore for ‘Rastashree’. A total of 11,500 kilometres rural roads have been taken up under this project.”
After allegations of rampant corruption in Pradhanmantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) and MGNREGA, the state government and ruling party, TMC, were on the backfoot. The Centre has stopped payment of MGNREGA and PMAY funds to West Bengal for more than six months now.
In a bid to reach out to the rural poor, the minister said in her budget speech, “For the agricultural sector, the Centre has cut back on allocations in almost every scheme, denying the rural population its rightful place in the nation, where 65 per cent of the population live in the rural areas.”
The state government also extended its Lakshmir Bhandar project for people who are aged 60 years and above. A senior TMC leader said, “In village areas, Rs 1,000 per woman is more than enough as pension. It will give us an extra advantage to gain female vote bank in rural areas.”
Opposition BJP MLA Ashok Lahiri said, “The benefits of the schemes never go to the poor people, the actual needy population of Bengal.”
Minister of State for Finance Chandrima Bhattacharya presents the state’s annual Budget at the Assembly in Kolkata on Wednesday. Partha Paul 
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