West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accused the Centre of double standards in dealing with the flood relief demands of States.

Even though a high-level team from Delhi had visited the State, the Centre dithered for over eight months to grant the West Bengal government’s demand for post-flood reconstruction funds, Banerjee regretted. On the other hand, a similar demand from Tamil Nadu was met within seven days, she said.

Addressing a meeting here, Mamata said, “Is it that Tamil Nadu is more friendly, and West Bengal is not?” She asked the Central Government to “work in the interest of people leaving aside politics.”

She, however, took pride in the fact that despite the “step-motherly attitude and non-cooperation of the Centre”, the government had been carrying out all development programmes in the interest of people.

Without taking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name, she criticised the imposition of ‘cess’ for implementing “Swachh Bharat” project.

Central funds dry up

Mamata criticised the termination or drastic reduction of Central funds for several social sector projects like mid-day meal scheme, the Integrated Child Development Scheme, police modernisation, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Jangalmahal development programmes, among others. “If I don’t get funds, how will I carry on with various development projects taken in hand?” the chief minister asked.

She also voiced her long-standing demand for the Centre sharing the huge debt burden left by the previous Left Front government. “Why do I have to pay for the ‘sins’ of the Left Front Government?” she protested.

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