Centre should clear Bengal government’s dues so that it can fight Covid-19: Mamata to PM Modi

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the Centre clears all financial dues of the state so that her government can step up its fight against Covid-19.

Attending a video conference through which the Prime Minister inaugurated new Covid-19 testing facilities in West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh Mamata said that the financial burden of the West Bengal government was steadily increasing in fight with Covid-19 and it has already spent Rs 2,500 crore for it.

She also said that the Centre owes the Bengal government Rs 53,000 crore and urged the Prime Minister to release at least parts of it.

“I want to draw the Prime Minister’s attention to the fact that the Centre owes us Rs 53,000 crore. We are trying to get it. I am requesting the Prime Minister to release at least part of it so that we can continue our work,” said Mamata.

The Chief Minister urged the Centre to clear the state government’s GST compensation of Rs 4,135 crore.

Mamata said that following the cyclone Amphan the state government had only received Rs 1,000 crore declared by the Prime Minister as emergency assistance during his visit to Bengal whereas the state has submitted an estimated damage of Rs. 5000 crore.

“You visited West Bengal after the cyclone Amphan. The Central team also visited the state. We submitted our estimated damage of Rs 5,000 crore. So far we have received nothing but the Rs 1,000 crore which you declared as advance assistance,” said Mamata.

She also said that the Centre is asking the state government to spend only from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to tackle Covid-19. The Chief Minister asked that if the SDRF gets exhausted in tackling the pandemic then where will her government get fund in case of major natural disaster.

“Centre is saying only to spend from SDRF on Covid-19. SDRF is for disaster management. If I spend all from it for Covid-19 where will we get the funds in case of major natural disaster,” said Mamata.