TMC may support mine, coal bills

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday dropped hints that her party would not support the controversial land acquisition amendment, but might back the bills on coal and minerals in the Rajya Sabha.

After her first official meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he came to power, Banerjee did not say anything on the contentious ordinance that seeks to procure farmland for industrial and infrastructure development.

However, Trinamool leaders who accompanied her said the party would not support any ordinance or bill that seeks to take farmers' land forcibly.

The party with 11 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, however, might extend its support to the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2015, and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015, when it comes up in the Upper House. Both have been passed by the Lok Sabha.

Modi told Banerjee how West Bengal would benefit from the auction of coal blocks in the state. A statement released by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) shows the break-up on the additional resources being provided to the West Bengal, where the BJP is trying to get a foothold.

The Union government decided to give West Bengal royalty on coal and other minerals, which will provide a benefit of Rs 1,600 crore to the state annually.

Moreover, the state will get Rs 11,200 crore from coal blocks auctioned so far. The additional resources going to West Bengal will rise by 174 per cent over the next five years compared to the previous five years, says the PMO statement.

Banerjee first met Modi in Parliament House face to face before calling on him again with a delegation of party MPs. She also met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.

The prime minister gave her no assurance on the easing of West Bengal's debt burden, but recognised that the problem precipitated due to the previous (Left) governments' actions.

The debt burden, leading to high interest payments, was affecting the state's development expenditure. “No stone will be left unturned for the development of West Bengal,” said Modi, underlining the steps taken in the recent past to enhance fund flow to the cash-strapped state.

“The prime minister said Bengal's loan was huge in comparison to other states. But he appreciated our efforts in keeping financial discipline. He said 'we will try (to help) because the country is also facing a crisis on the financial front',” said Banerjee.