New Delhi: In a timely fillip ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, the Central Government has released ₹680 crore to the state under the 15th Finance Commission, earmarked exclusively for bolstering rural development through Panchayati Raj institutions.
This first installment, credited to the state exchequer in October, will fund infrastructure upgrades across thousands of gram panchayats, hundreds of blocks, and district councils, focusing on roads, street lighting, and solar energy projects.
The funds, disbursed on Monday, target Bengal’s 3,224 gram panchayats, 335 blocks, and 21 zilla parishads. While this marks the inaugural tranche of the current fiscal year, the Centre has already pumped in a whopping ₹4,181 crore since the previous year. Of this, ₹2,820 crore falls under untied grants for flexible rural initiatives, and ₹2,099 crore under tied grants for critical services like rainwater harvesting and pond construction.
The allocation underscores the Centre’s commitment amid political crossfire. Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar hailed it as proof of the Modi Government’s dedication to Bengal’s villages, countering what he called “TMC’s smear campaign” by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “This grant shows we’re working tirelessly for rural Bengal’s progress,” Majumdar asserted.
TMC insiders, however, counter that the state deserves far more, pointing to submitted documents that expedited this release. As Bengal gears up for polls, this infusion could spark debates on federal cooperation, promising tangible gains for rural folk from better connectivity to sustainable energy.