Kolkata, 11 February (H.S.):

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, accusing it of misusing central funds and failing to maintain law and order in the state.

He said that West Bengal has immense potential for the textile industry, but the state government lacks a clear roadmap for its development. He also described the Union Budget as a decisive step towards a developed India. At a press conference held at a hotel in Salt Lake, Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, on Wednesday, he sharply criticized the Mamata Banerjee government for appeasement and poor governance.

Bhupendra Yadav began his address by paying tribute to Deendayal Upadhyaya. He said that India's economy is growing rapidly. Surpassing Japan, India has become the world's fourth largest economy, and the country's GDP has reached approximately $4.18–4.19 trillion.

The Union Minister said that capital expenditure has increased almost sixfold from Rs. 2 lakh crore in 2014. This budget has allocated capital expenditure of ₹12 lakh crore.

He stated that special attention has been paid to roads, airports, ports, freight corridors, and the integration of tier-2 and tier-3 cities. The Surat-Dankuni freight corridor is expected to reduce transportation costs by 30 percent. Development in the Siliguri-Varanasi corridor and the Durgapur region will strengthen the logistics sector.

The Union Minister stated that a ₹10,000 crore MSME Growth Fund is proposed, which will benefit small and medium-sized enterprises in West Bengal. He alleged that 6,800 listed companies in the state have closed down, impacting the MSME sector.

Bhupendra Yadav placed special emphasis on the jute industry, stating that 80 percent of the country's jute production takes place in West Bengal, providing employment to 2.5 lakh people. The budget emphasizes technological development in the jute sector.

Regarding women's empowerment, he said that two crore Lakhpati Didis have been created across the country in the last decade. There are plans to establish hostels for girl students in every district to provide better education and employment opportunities to girls in rural areas.

The Union Minister claimed that the Rural Development Ministry has provided ₹1.10 lakh crore to West Bengal, but the state government is accused of misappropriation of funds. He alleged irregularities in the implementation of MNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and PM Poshan Yojana.

He said that schemes like Ayushman Bharat and PM-Kisan were not fully implemented in the state. He also accused the state government of continuously borrowing and keeping capital expenditure low.

Bhupendra Yadav alleged that allocations for science education are low, while ₹5,713.61 crore have been earmarked for madrasas. He also mentioned that only ₹910 crore has been allocated for North Bengal's population of 30 million.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey