West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the State was not begging for alms from the Centre, but merely asking for its due. She said this after an hour-long meeting with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, convened by Governor M.K. Narayanan.
Mr. Mukherjee later cryptically told journalists that the meeting discussed the overall situation. He did not take any further questions.
The meeting acquired a new dimension as it was held in the backdrop of the threat made by the Trinamool Congress to pull out of the United Progressive Alliance government in view of persistent and, what the alliance partner saw as, ‘unilateral' increases in fuel price.
On the meeting, Ms. Banerjee said: “We have had financial discussions before and there has been little outcome.” Indicating that this meeting had not yielded the desired results, she said, “when there is an outcome we will let you know. It is not as if we are begging, it is our due.”
Prior to her arrival at the Raj Bhavan, Ms. Banerjee was closeted with her Finance Minister Amit Mitra for a long time.
Since its takeover on May 20, the present government has stated time and again that it had inherited a bankrupt-State whose finances were in a dire condition. Days after getting his portfolio, Dr. Mitra said there were unpaid bills, and the previous government had left behind a mountain of debt of over Rs. 2 lakh-crore.
Dr. Mitra's statements before the media sparked sharp responses and repartees from the former Finance Minister, Asim Dasgupta.
After appeals for a bailout package to the Prime Minister by Ms. Banerjee and rounds of parleys between Mr. Mukherjee and Dr. Mitra, the Centre did announce a Rs. 21,614 crore payout in August. The Chief Minister responded by saying that while she was not totally satisfied, she would make do with whatever was available.
“Much of the Rs. 21,614 crore allowances is our legitimate due,” she said, adding that this was not a package per se, but it would help the State tide over the present crisis. “It is not a financial package but we will manage… But please remember that this is not a dole — much of the funds allowed, come to us as a matter of right.”
This is something she repeated after Tuesday's meeting.
