Mamata Banerjee fires salvo at Centre over funding to West Bengal

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today lashed out at the central government for "slashing funds" for various development projects across the state.

"The Centre has slashed funds for most of the schemes in the last one year. Earlier, under the ICDS scheme, we contributed 10 per cent and the Centre 90 per cent. Now it has become the reverse. We contribute 90 per cent and the Centre 10 per cent," the Chief Minister said.

Funds for the projects in Jangalmahal and the hills had also been cut, she said, adding, "we are paying from the state coffers to run those schemes."

Banerjee was speaking after an administrative review meeting with IAS and IPS officers.

She also accused the Centre of slashing funds for other projects such as police modernisation and Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyan.

The chief minister had a word of praise for the work of various government departments and said the amount of money spent on development work had increased by 24 per cent since last year.

"We are also ahead of the national average in terms of spending for development work," Banerjee said.