Centre not disbursing funds to West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that the Central government is creating "an economic blockade" by not releasing funds for MNREGA and other schemes over the last six months.

"The Centre is collecting money from Bengal but not disbursing the funds to us," Banerjee said.

"UGC grants have also been stopped and is causing trouble to PHD students doing research," claimed Banerjee during a programme held to distribute students' credit cards in Kolkata.


BJP chief spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya claimed that the Trinamool government did not give any accounts of the MNREGA spending and other schemes to the Centre for more than three years. "Why will funds be disbursed by the Centre?" he wanted to know.

Banerjee has raised concern several times at various fora over the Centre withholding MNREGA funds. Funds for the Bangla Abash Yojana has also been stopped. A Trinamool Congress MPs' delegation had met Giriraj Singh over the release of funds for MNREGA and the Bangla Abash Yojana recently. "If the issue is not sorted, I will have to visit New Delhi and claim the money," Banerjee had said.