Mamata Banerjee Discusses State Matters with PM Modi During Kolkata Meeting

She said she also took up the issue of the state's pending dues with the PM.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee characterizes her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Raj Bhavan as a customary interaction following protocol. During the meeting, Banerjee raised concerns about the state’s outstanding dues with the Prime Minister.

In her remarks to the press after the meeting, Banerjee stated, “I discussed various state issues with the Prime Minister while also engaging in conversation.” When questioned about the pending dues owed by the Centre to the state, a matter frequently emphasized by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), Banerjee affirmed, “I addressed that issue as well.”

Prime Minister Modi, currently on a two-day visit to West Bengal, will be accommodated at the Raj Bhavan overnight. Banerjee’s convoy arrived at the governor’s residence shortly after the Prime Minister’s arrival.

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Governor C V Ananda Bose confirmed receiving the Prime Minister at the Raj Bhavan. Bose had earlier attended the Prime Minister’s official program in Arambagh, where Modi inaugurated and dedicated various development projects valued at over ₹7,200 crore.

Last December, Banerjee met with PM Modi in New Delhi to advocate for the release of the state’s pending dues, which, according to the TMC, amount to ₹1.18 lakh crore.

The Union government recently disbursed two tranches of tax devolution to all states, with West Bengal receiving ₹10,692 crore, ranking fourth after Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh in terms of the amount received.

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The state government initiated payments to approximately 30 lakh MGNREGA workers on Monday, settling dues amounting to ₹2,700 crore pending since March 2022. The withholding of West Bengal’s MGNREGA dues by the Centre has been a significant focus in the state’s political discourse over the past year.

Naiteek Bhatt