Bangla Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today addressed a public meeting at Kalna in Purba Bardhaman district. She inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of several projects in the district.

The CM also distributed several government benefits on the occasion.

Highlights of her speech:

We have conducted more than 430 administrative review meetings in the districts in the last seven years. We conduct these meetings to take stock of developmental projects and discuss scopes of improvement in dispersing public services.

Bardhaman district has secured the first rank in 100 Days’ Work. This district is known for its productivity as well as fire (of revolution).

Kalna is a heritage place, known for the various architectural sites. We are organising today’s function at a newly-inaugurated stadium.

We want people of Kalna to be happy. Bardhaman is primarily agriculture-dependent. Highest paddy production is recorded here.

Centre is now talking of doubling farmers’ income. We have already tripled it. We have set up Krishak Bazaar, Karma Tirthas as well.

We have set up 6 new colleges in this district. We have also constructed a multi super speciality hospital in Kalna. CCUs, ICCUs, HDUs, Fair Price Medicine Shops and Diagnostic Centres have come up in this district.

We have set up Mati Tirtha in Bardhaman. In 2012, we started celebrating Mati Utsav. In 2013, UN started observing the same. We have shown the way.

We have also set up custom hiring centre and Misti Hub in the district.

We have taken up a new scheme worth Rs 2768 crore for lower Damodar, specially the flood-prone areas. Lakhs of acres of land will come under agriculture. Water scarcity will be mitigated.

A new road is coming up which will connect north Bengal. Rs 3200 crore will be spent on this road, which will act as an alternative route.

A freight corridor is coming up between Dankuni and Bardhaman. A lot of employment will be generated.

World’s second largest coal mine is at Deocha Pachami in Birbhum. Employment of more than one lakh people will be created.

A new bridge will come up on Bhagirathi in Kalna. It will be completed by 2022 and the expenditure will be Rs 100 crore.

We do not acquire land forcibly. We are pro-farmers. Wherever there is a problem, we always solve it.

Earlier, 65,000 farmers used to get pension. We have increased the number to 1 lakh. The amount of pension has been hiked to Rs 1000 per month. We are providing farmers all the equipment at custom hiring centres. We have focused on alternate cropping.

Now, every girl receives Kanyashree. Earlier the amount of stipend was Rs 750; it has been hiked to Rs 1000. At 18 years of age, if she remains unmarried, she will get Rs 25,000. The scheme has been extended to university students also.

Kanyashree girls will conquer the world one day. They are not a burden; girls are our assets. They will build the nation in future.

We have also instituted Swami Vivekananda merit scholarship. SC/ST students receive Sikshashree scholarship. More than 1.7 crore minority students have received scholarships.

More than 50 lakh girls are registered under Kanyashree. The number will be doubled in future. We have spent Rs 6000 crore for this scheme.

We have distributed one crore cycles under Sabuj Sathi scheme. We want them to study without any problem. We will continue our schemes for the students. We have spent Rs 3000 crore for this scheme.

We are the only State in the country where khajna tax has been waived off. Mutation fee on agricultural land has also been waived.

We provide free healthcare at government hospitals. We have constructed 46 multi super speciality hospitals in the last seven years.

Many CPI(M) still exist in this region. They are trying to defame the government. I want to tell them, you have called many strikes. Enough of your non-cooperation with the people. You have taken Bangla back in the 34 years, We will not allow any further games with people’s future.

Let them pay back the money they borrowed when they were in power. They left after leaving behind a huge debt legacy. We are paying off instalments (nearly Rs 48,000 crore every year).

We provide rice at Rs 2/kg. We buy the rice from farmers. We provide a subsidy of Rs 23 per kg.

We provide financial assistance to families with income less than Rs 1.5 lakh annually for the marriage for their daughters. This is Rupashree scheme.

We have also started a social security scheme. People in unorganised sector and Lok Prasar artistes will have to pay Rs 25 per month, and we will give Rs 30. At 60 years of age, you will receive a one time grant of Rs 2 lakh and a monthly pension of Rs 1500. That apart, you will get Rs 4000-10000 for the education of your children. In case of death by accident, families will receive Rs 1.5 lakh (Rs 50000 for natural death) before 60 years of age. You can apply at offices of labour department.

No one has lost their job after we came to power. We want everyone to be happy. The retirement age of contractual and casual workers has been raised to 60 years. We have recruited one lakh civic volunteers; earlier they used to get Rs 3000 per month and now they get Rs 8000. If they are good, they will be appointed as home guards.

We have increased the honourariums of ASHA and ICDS workers. Prani Mitras used to get Rs 4000 earlier, and now they get Rs 1500. Salaries of parateachers, contractual teachers has been hiked, although we are in financial crisis.

We cannot do anything without people’s participation. We perform heart surgeries and kidney surgeries free of cost. Fair price diagnostic centres have been set up. Fair price medicine shops provide 40-67% discount.

We have given Rs 1200 crore to 30 lakh farmer families. We are with them in case of any natural disaster. Maa, Mati, Manush Government is always with you.

You may have political affiliations but if you are a government employee, you have to serve people. Do not hamper development in the name of protests.

They had shut down all industries. Schools and colleges had become a den of party politics. Hospitals had become living hell. Ration shops did not have supplies, teachers did not get salaries on time. Now they get salaries on the first of every month.

We have asked cooperative banks to give more loans to farmers.

They had killed farmers in Singur, tried to capture Nandigram, murdered people in Netai. In the name of Maoists, they killed hundreds of people. They are giving lectures today.

We had promised to return the land in Singur. We have kept our promise. Unless the land becomes fully cultivable, we will give them Rs 2000 per month. They also get higher quantity of rice every month.

Tea garden workers receive rice at 47 paise per kilo.

I have struggled all my life. I have wound marks all over my body. I have reached this position after a lot of struggle. We never harm people; that is not in our nature. My aim in life is to help others.

As long as our government is there, we will always help you. The government at Centre only tells lies, incites riots. They spread canards and do propaganda all the time, apart from hatching conspiracies.

On one hand employment has decreased across the country due to demonetisation and GST. And on the other hand, unemployment has reduced by 40% in Bangla.

We will create more employment opportunities. We have set up 300 it is for skill training. Nearly 70000 youths are being trained there. They will get placement at the end of their training; talks are in process with the companies. We have a target of training 12 lakh boys and girls in the next two years.

We have been able to do so much work because people trust us and love us. We will continue to work for you in the future.