Political slugfest over paltry payments for north Bengal flood control from Brahmaputra Board

Kolkata, Aug 3 (IANS) A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal over the meagre amount allotted from the Brahmaputra Board for North Bengal flood control.

Only Rs 22 crore were allotted for North Bengal flood control from the Brahmaputra Board since 2006 as against Rs 91 crore for neighbouring Sikkim in the same period.

The ruling Trinamool Congress claimed that this paltry figure was another example of West Bengal being deprived of its legitimate dues.

However, the Opposition BJP claimed that since the amount released by Brahmaputra Board was based on project reports submitted by state governments, the allocations had been done accordingly.

According to the North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha, Rs 22 crore for North Bengal flood development since 2006 as against thousands of crores allotted by the Board for other states covered under it, is an example of how the state has been deprived.

However, two-time BJP Lok Sabha member from Jalpaiguri constituency in North Bengal, Dr Jayanta Roy, told IANS that the Board cannot release the fund in absence of specific project reports submitted by the state government.

“I had been pursuing the matter related to higher fund allotment for North Bengal flood control for the last few years. I came to know that the Rs 22 crore which had been allotted since 2006 was on the basis of specific project reports submitted by the state irrigation department.

“Now unless the state administration submits specific project reports for which funds are required how would the central funds be allotted? Ultimately it is the people who are suffering,” he said.

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