February 5, 2014
Facts about Bengal: Gujarat CM`s research team may have let him down
At a political rally in Kolkata held on February 5, the honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat made a few statements which were factually incorrect. Using the democratic medium (our party website), we would like to present the current reality.
At the rally it was mentioned that 35% schools in West Bengal have electricity and that 60% girls` schools in the state have toilets. The research team, which provided him with these figures, clearly depended on an old report. According to the report of a review committee meeting, held today, 98% schools in West Bengal have toilets while most primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary schools have uninterrupted power supply.
In fact, West Bengal is the only state in India to have a power bank. In the last session of the West Bengal Assembly, the state Power Minister Manish Gupta had informed the House that West Bengal will achieve 100% rural electrification by December 2014. As of December 2013, West Bengal achieved 60% rural electrification (up from 10% during the Left Front rule).
In the last 32 months, the West Bengal government has tirelessly worked for the development of the State despite the huge financial crunch. With a debt burden of over Rs 2 lakh crores and a yearly interest of Rs 28000 crores, little money is available for the government to spend for public purpose. However, the West Bengal government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee managed to increase revenue collection from Rs 22000 crore (in 2011-12) to Rs 40000 crore (2013-14, till August), which is about 81.8%.
The Ma, Mati, Manush Government is committed towards working for the people and will continue the surge of development in the future, overcoming all hurdles in the way.
