Mamata berates Bankura officials over delay in completion of water project

PTI, May 31, 2022, 8:18 PM IST

A day after warning government employees in Purulia of legal action if found involved in any ”misdoings”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday pulled up officials in Bankura for the inordinate delay in commissioning a water project in the district.

Addressing an administrative review meeting here, Banerjee said that her office has received several complaints over non-completion of projects in the district.

‘Projects remain incomplete because of the negligence by some government employees. There is a lot of work left undone for the past four to five years. Due to this negligence, common people are deprived of benefits. The state government gets discredited subsequently.

”People will blame the TMC for not doing the needful. Tell me why the water project is hanging fire for eight years,” the CM said, further cautioning that erring officials would have to endure ”ear-twisting” as punishment. On complaints of ”mismatch” in the procurement of paddy from farmers and its deposit in the mandis (marketplace), she said cultivators had been ”getting less money” because of it.

He directed the district administration to install CCTVs at the Kisan (farmers’) mandis.

”Paddy-selling machines need to be inspected regularly. If necessary, you (district administration) have to get them certified from Kolkata,” she maintained.

The CM also urged the villagers to submit written complaints at the block assistance centres and directed the district magistrates and block development officers to collect them every 7 days. On allegations of nepotism in tender-floating, Banerjee asked the zilla parishad chairperson to look into the matter and file a report within a week. Incidentally, Banerjee had on Monday rebuked Purulia District Magistrate Rahul Majumdar over complaints of brick kiln revenue being siphoned off by ”unknown collection agents” The TMC boss said she would have given a tight slap to any TMC worker, if found involved in the graft.

Banerjee also warned of legal action against Land Revenue Department officials if they were party to such corrupt practices.

She asked Zilla Parishad officials to work in tandem with the district magistrate and the superintendent of police.

”If anyone thinks that I will change the DM and SP from time to time, that won’t happen. You (officials) have to work hand-in-hand with the DM and the SP,” she asserted The CM also asked the administration to facilitate the setting up of more ‘Banglar Dairy’ stalls.

In coordination with the fisheries department, these stalls can sell fresh fish besides dairy products, she insisted.

”I want ‘Banglar Dairy’ stalls to be opened at every ward in the urban areas of West Bengal in the days to come. In the rural areas, at least one stall should be set up in each block,” Banerjee added.