In a significant development amidst ongoing disputes over pending dues, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to convene with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Friday evening, as confirmed by an official source.
Prime Minister Modi embarks on a two-day visit to the state starting Friday, during which he is slated to address public rallies in Hooghly and Nadia districts and inaugurate various government initiatives. His itinerary includes an overnight stay at Raj Bhavan in the city.
An official from Raj Bhavan stated, “It is anticipated that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will attend a meeting with the Prime Minister at Raj Bhavan this evening. Such interactions adhere to protocol. However, the exact timing of the meeting is yet to be determined.”
This encounter follows a previous meeting between Banerjee and PM Modi in December of last year in New Delhi, primarily focused on advocating for the release of West Bengal’s outstanding dues. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) asserts that the central government owes the state a substantial sum of Rs 1.18 lakh crore.
Highlighting the significance of these dues, the West Bengal administration recently initiated disbursements totaling Rs 2,700 crore to approximately 30 lakh workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), funds that had been withheld since March 2022.
The withholding of MGNREGA dues by the central government has remained a contentious issue in West Bengal’s political arena over the past year, reflecting the broader dynamics of state-centre relations.
As the anticipated meeting between Mamata Banerjee and Narendra Modi unfolds, it holds the potential to address critical concerns regarding the pending dues and pave the way for constructive dialogue between the state and the centre. Stay tuned for updates on this evolving narrative shaping the political landscape of West Bengal.