Previous government left over ₹8 lakh crore debt burden; alleges fiscal indiscipline during Appropriation Bill debate

Kolkata, 25 July (H.S.): West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta on Saturday said the state received ₹70,000 crore in financial assistance from the Central Government after the Bharatiya Janata Party assumed office in May, asserting that the support prevented the state from slipping into bankruptcy and ensured the continuation of key welfare schemes.

Speaking during the debate on the Appropriation Bill in the West Bengal Assembly, Dasgupta alleged that the previous government had left behind a debt burden exceeding ₹8 lakh crore. He accused the former administration of violating fiscal discipline for years, leading to the state's deteriorating financial condition.

Responding to a query by Trinamool Congress MLA Sabina Yasmin on measures to prevent misuse of public funds, the Finance Minister remarked that the legislation under discussion was an Appropriation Bill, not a Misappropriation Bill. He added that the government remained committed to ensuring proper utilisation of public money.

Dasgupta said the state would also have to make additional financial provisions, including those related to the arbitration award in favour of Tata Motors in the Singur land dispute. He noted that the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) has challenged the arbitration award before the Calcutta High Court.

Recalling the Singur episode, the Finance Minister said Tata Motors shifted its Nano car manufacturing project from Singur to Sanand in Gujarat in 2008 following protests against land acquisition.

During the debate, senior Trinamool Congress MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay claimed that under the previous government, West Bengal had ranked among the top states in sectors such as heavy industries, Panchayati Raj and law and order. In response, Dasgupta said such rankings were based on data submitted by state governments to the Centre, adding that if those figures were accurate, West Bengal should have ranked ahead of many other states.

Questioning the credibility of the previous government's data on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the Finance Minister said the former administration had claimed that the state had 93 lakh MSMEs. However, verification found only around 99,000 operational small and medium enterprises, highlighting what he described as a significant gap between official claims and the actual situation.

The West Bengal Assembly also passed the Appropriation Bill on Saturday, authorising the state government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund of the State for expenditure under various heads.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh