Eyeing  the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, the Central Government has lined up array of projects and massive fund releases under its flagship missions for the state. From housing to Smart City to rural roads, the Government of India is gradually revealing its plans for the election-bound state. 

In a bid to make things appear favourable for them in the upcoming elections the BJP government is planning to sanction new rural road projects under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana phase III. Apart from this, it is also planning inauguration of projects under Smart City Mission in New Town, Kolkata. These include solar street lighting projects, water conservation and bee corridor projects in an eco park and close-circuit TV camera surveillance in the New Town smart city.

The Centre has a long-standing issue with the state government over non-release of funds to beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin). According to sources, the Centre has been pushing the state to release the funds and has got some success. Though no new sanctions are possible, it is now prodding the state to release more central funds and is likely to take it up for review again. The Centre is also preparing a report card on the funds released to Bengal over the last five years.

One of the biggest achievements has been under urban housing scheme. The Centre has sanctioned 4.71 lakh houses under PMAY (Urban) and sanctioned Rs 7,354 crore. More houses are likely to be sanctioned next week at the Central Sanctioning-cum-Monitoring Committee meeting on December 27.

Tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda made a beginning last week by inaugurating an outlet of Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) in Kolkata. Under this initiative, tribal products are taken from remote areas, processed and then marketed outside the villages. This year, the Centre has started implementing minimum support price (MSP) for minor forest produce (MFPs) collected by tribals. The move came after Bengal decided to participate in it for the first time during the lockdown. According to sources, the Centre would be concentrating on the state in the upcoming collection season starting in January.

The biggest challenge for the Union government has been state’s reluctance to participate in any central sector scheme. While most states tap into Centre’s scholarship schemes for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Bengal has not been an eager participant. West Bengal had even pulled out of Smart City Mission after participating and now has only one city – New Town Kolkata – under the mission. Under Swachh Bharat Mission, Union government’s cleanliness initiative, the state government had constructed toilets but had not worked towards getting the open defecation-free certificate. 

(Source: ET Government)