The West Bengal government on Wednesday tabled a ₹3.08 lakh crore budget in the State Assembly for the financial year 2021-2022.
State Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee presented the Budget in place of State Finance Minister Amit Mitra, who is unwell. The State government waived road tax on passenger transport vehicles and offered a rebate on stamp duty for both rural and urban areas.
The State government in February had placed the vote-on-account in the House, in which several schemes were announced. Mr. Chatterjee mentioned the Student Credit Card scheme launched on June 30 and the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, under which a basic income of ₹1,000 will be given to women of SC/ST households and ₹500 to those belonging to the general category.
In his budget speech, Mr. Chatterjee said farmers would receive benefits under the Krishak Bandhu scheme, and the government would soon launch the Duare Ration scheme, under which foodgrains will be delivered at the doorstep.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the budget was aimed at implementing the poll promises. She said the Centre owes ₹60,000 crore to the State and criticised the rise in fuel prices. Ms. Banerjee said the Union government had made a mess of the country’s economy. She suggested that instead of holding ‘ Mann ki baat ’, the PM should hold ‘ Petrol ki baat’.
Ashok Lahiri, well-known economist and BJP MLA from Balurghat, said the claims made in the budget speech of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) being higher than country’s Gross Domestic Product might not be entirely true as the methodology of calculating GSDP is not comparable for all States. Mr. Lahiri said the State government should clearly mention the centrally sponsored welfare schemes and the ones are funded by State.
“For the economic decline of the State, one does not need to look into figures but at the huge migration of workforce,” Mr. Lahiri said.
