Mamata Banerjee flays Centre over Food Security Act

, June 30: Blaming the Centre for the non-implementation of the Food Security Act in West Bengal so far, Chief Minister

on Monday said the union government has failed to put in place a proper law and decide on the funding for the scheme.

However, Banerjee claimed, that over 3.2 crore people in Bengal can procure rice at Rs.2 per kg due to the initiatives taken by her government.

"The centre has not been able to implement food security yet there is no proper law in place for food security there is no decision from where funding will come but in Bengal we have provided rice to 3.2 crore people at Rs.2 per kg," she said at an official function here.

Speaking on the occasion of Hool Divas marking the 1855 Santhal Rebellion against the British, Banerjee announced plans to set up tribal hubs in every district of the state.

Her statement comes days after Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan rejected the Bengal government's plea to extend by six months the deadline for implementing the act, and said the scheme would have to be implemented within three months.

Banerjee announced plans to set up tribal hubs in every district

While the deadline for implementing the National Food Security Act was July 4, the food ministry on Thursday announced its decision to extend the deadline by three months.

Banerjee paid tribute to the tribal martyrs, the four Murmu brothers, Sidhu, Kanhu, Chand and Bhairav, who led the tribal rising against the British in Bengal, two years before the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857.

Batting for educational reforms fort tribal uplift, Banerjee said tribal hubs will be set up in every district of the state.

"We have extended reservation to OBCs (other backward category) without affecting General seats. We expanded our infrastructure for that. We will set up one Tribal Bhavan in every district," said Banerjee, who is in-charge of the state's tribal ministry.

IANS