Centre putting Bengal under economic blockade: Trinamool MP

New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay on Friday alleged in Lok Sabha that the Central government is trying to put an economic blockade on West Bengal.

He made the charge during the course of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's reply to the discussion on budget, while raising the issue of the pending GST compensation.

As Sitharaman was replying to the discussion on the budget in Lok Sabha, Bandyopadhyay, who is the leader of Trinamool Congress in the Lower House, stood up and sought time from Speaker Om Birla to speak on the issue of pending GST compensation.

Bandyopadhyay kept standing, seeking permission to intervene even as the finance minister said that she had a lot to say about West Bengal, amid chanting of "Chor! Chor!" by some West Bengal BJP MPs.

As he started to walk towards Sitharaman, Birla allowed him to speak.

The Trinamool Congress MP spoke briefly about the matters pertaining to pending GST compensation and claimed that the Centre was trying to put an economic blockade on the state.

This led to Sitharaman listing a number of issues related to the state.

Central teams found serious shortcomings in MNREGA and Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana implementation in West Bengal, Sitharaman said, adding that the state government was asked to submit reports about this.

"We are ready to make the GST compensation payment, however since 2017 the West Bengal government has not sent the AG certificate report (needed for releasing the payment). Then how can we make the payment, otherwise we are ready to pay," the Finance Minister said.

Attacking the West Bengal government, Sitharaman further said that whenever the states need, the government sends central forces, for which the states have to pay.

"On West Bengal's request, we had sent central forces there, however they are yet to make the payment for it," the Finance Minister said, while replying to Bandyopadhyay's charge of economic blockade.