Budget: Modi govt gives enough to West Bengal but fails to impress Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, July 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government impressed many of its rivals but it failed to make Mamata Banerjee, yet again. Despite having several proposals for West Bengal in Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's budget, the Chief Minister of the state lashed out at the NDA government.

Beginning from AIIMS-like institution to Kolkata-Amritsar trade corridor, Jaitley's budget has many proposals for West Bengal. However, TMC was not impressed by this first budget of the Modi govt.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief slammed the Union Budget 2014-15, saying the Modi-led government has "become a government of the FDI, by the FDI and for the FDI".

Presenting his maiden budget, Jaitley said the government has decided to increase the FDI in insurance sector to 49 per cent from the current 26 per cent while the FDI in defence sector also was raised to 49 per cent from 26 per cent.

"We heard about a strong and vibrant India before the government came to power. We thought that it will be delivered to provide good governance," Banerjee said in her official Facebook page.

"Already, there is FDI in the retail. Now FDI is increased to 49 per cent in defence, and insurance sectors. In addition, disinvestment in banking sector is up to 49 per cent. All these will adversely affect the people of the country," she said. Banerjee also said the allocation of "a meagre" Rs.100 crore for "Beti bachao, beti padhao" programme is a "mockery".

Now, take a look what West Bengal received from Modi Govt's first Budget:

AIIMS-like institution:

Jaitley's budget proposed to build an AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Science)-like institution in West Bengal.The institution will be built up at a location suggested by the state government.

"It is a matter of great satisfaction that all the six new AIIMS at Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Rishikesh, Bhubaneswar and Raipur, which are part of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, have become functional. A plan to set up four more AIIMS-like institutions at Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Vidarbha in Maharashtra and Purvanchal in UP is under consideration. I propose to set aside a sum of Rs 500 crore for this," Jaitley said in his budget speech on Thursday.

A senior official of the Union health ministry said from Delhi that Kalyani, around 30km from Calcutta airport, had been "finalised" as the site of the proposed AIIMS.

Earlier Priyaranjan Dashmunsi, the then UPA I minister, had proposed to build AIIMS like health centre in the state. However, nothing has been done so far even after 10 years of the proposal.

Initially, it was told that AIIMS will be in Raiganj but now it has been informed that it will be built in Kalyani. With this proposal, it has been proved that Modi govt has set politics aside while allocating funds to the state.

Special fund for the film enthusiasts in the state:

Budget 2014 brought cheer to film enthusiasts in the city, with the announcement that the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute is set to receive the status of an institute of national importance.
It would take the institute ahead and give film and animation studies a much-needed boost in Kolkata and the rest of the country. Students were delighted with the elevation of the institution.

Trade Corridor from Kolkata to Amritsar:

Taking an unique decision to boost the trade between Kolkata and Amritsar, the government proposed to build a trade corridor between the two cities.

Allahabad to Haldia through water ways:

The central government also proposed to connect Haldia to Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Rs 4200 lakh has been allocated for the project which would cover 1620 km.

Tribunal in the state:

The central government also proposed to build a few special tribunals which would identify unwanted non-performing asset of public sector banks. The tribunals either can seize those assets or can sell those assets to get more earning.

Siliguri from North Bengal has been selected for one of the tribunals.

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