Mamata asks Centre to ‘stop’ collecting interest

Dec 25, 2012 - RAJIB CHOWDHURI |

Age Correspondent

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday spilled venom on the UPA-2 government at the Centre for collecting hefty interest against loans given to West Bengal government. She branded the Centre as “money-lender” and asked it to “stop” collecting the interest. She once again pressed for a three-year moratorium on interest being paid annually on loans so that welfare schemes could be undertaken.

Her latest salvo on the Manmohan Singh government came during the Milan Mela 2012 which is being organised by the minority affairs and madrasah education department at Netaji Indoor Stadium. The fair is aimed at marketing the products produced by the minority communities.
Unleashing a furious attack on the Centre, the chief minister said: “We have been getting no money since the previous CPI(M)-led Left Front government plunged the state into debts.”
Hinting at foul play, she continued: “Bring those, who have committed the offence, tying a rope around their waist. We want justice. You cannot make those, who did not commit anything wrong, die of starvation. Are we beggars? Or we don’t pay our revenues? I want to know that.”
The chief minister even accused the Centre of adopting a partial attitude towards her government in granting funds. Pointing towards the bar on additional borrowing by her government, the chief minister added: “We have many plans for welfare of the people. But we do not have enough money left after paying `22,000 crores annually as interest. At the same time, we have no other way to borrow which was allowed to the previous government.”
She reiterated that her government would not withdraw the land ceiling which the industrialists have pointed out as a hurdle to investments in the state. Referring to the Wakf properties, Ms Banerjee explained that the Centre was urged for a CBI probe which is yet to see the light of the day.
At the programme, the chief minister offered financial grants to the members of the different minority
communities with a bunch of schemes totalling around `25.57 crore which would cover 1,51,355 persons.

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