‘BJP like seasonal bird, coming and going, so cannot see development’

STATE FINANCE Minister Amit Mitra on Thursday countered BJP national president Amit Shah’s allegations that West Bengal was lagging behind in development and growth by saying that “they were seasonal birds, coming and going, so they cannot see the development”. On Wednesday, claiming that no development took place under the six-year TMC rule, Shah had presented statistics to show how Bengal was lagging behind in development.

“They are comparing a government of six years with 34 years of Left rule. They are like seasonal birds, coming and going, so they cannot see the development. During the first five years of this government, state plan expenditure increased from Rs14,615 crore to Rs. 54,069 crore. Capital expenditure also increased by seven times. The state’s revenues have doubled. The GDP of Bengal has more than doubled from nearly Rs 4.61 lakh crore in 2010-11 to Rs 9.20 lakh crore in 2015-16,” Mitra said in a statement.

Claiming that Bengal was one of the few power surplus states in the country, he added: “By June, 100 per cent rural electrification will be achieved — the first state in India to do so.” Criticising Shah for accusing the state government of promoting appeasement politics, Mitra said: “Kanyashree, Yuvashree, Sabuj Shree, Sabuj Sathi, Gatidhara, Geetanjali, Khadya Sathi, Baitarani, Samabyathi, Samarthan — these schemes are for all… Reforms in e-governance, financial matters and in other areas of public service delivery, have benefitted all sections of society.”

When it comes to industrial growth, while India is growing at 7 per cent, the figure for Bengal is 10 per cent, he claimed. “Furthermore, 40 per cent investment proposals received at Bengal Global Business Summit are in process of fructification… figure for the same in Gujarat is 2 to 3 per cent,” the statement said.