UPA deprived Bengal, now NDA doing the same: Mamata

Kolkata, July 10 (IANS) Branding the Narendra Modi-led government as a "government of the FDI, by the FDI and for the FDI", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday slammed the union budget 2014-15 for depriving her state and said the present government is no different than the previous UPA.

"We have been ignored, our people are being ignored, the UPA neglected us for three years, the NDA is doing the same," Banerjee said at a function in Birbhum district.

"The present central government will go for disinvestment in the banking sector... I don't know whether one will get back the money you keep there," she said.

Presenting his maiden union budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government has decided to increase the FDI in insurance sector to 49 percent from the current 26 percent while the FDI in defence sector also was raised to 49 percent from 26 percent.

Attacking the central government, Banerjee, also the the Trinamool Congress supremo, said that on one hand prices of essential commodities are going up whereas on the other, the central government has failed to allot more funds to the 100 days' work scheme.

"Even in 100 days' work scheme, where the poor people are involved, not a single paise has been increased in allocation. On the other hand, prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene along with prices of fruits and vegetable and other essential commodities are increasing day by day," she said.

"We heard about a strong and vibrant India before the government came to power. We thought that it will be delivered to provide good governance," Banerjee said in her official Facebook page.

"But from the beginning, we are getting disappointed. Only one positive sign of the new government is established in two budgets that they have become a government of the FDI, by the FDI and for the FDI," she said.

"Already, there is FDI in the retail. Now FDI is increased to 49 percent in defence, and insurance sectors. In addition, disinvestment in banking sector is up to 49 percent. All these will adversely affect the people of the country," she said.

Banerjee also termed the allocation of "a meagre" Rs.100 crore for "Beti bachao, beti padhao" programme is a "mockery".

"In our state, `Kanyashree' project was launched for the first time with a provision of about Rs.1,000 crore. It is really shocking to see that an important scheme for girl child `Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' has been announced with only a meagre Rs.100 crore for all states and UTs together. Is it not a mockery?" the chief minister asked.

Banerjee also criticised the denial of share to West Bengal in the six new textile clusters to be set up with allocation of Rs.200 crore.

"Even though, West Bengal has tremendous potential for textile sector, it does not find place among the six new textile clusters announced in the budget," she said.

"West Bengal, even being the largest fruits and vegetables producer in the country, has been denied the Horticulture University announced in the budget," she said.

She said the new government is "functioning with a political vendetta" and the budget lacks vision.

"The budget is visionless, missionless and actionless from the angle of the common people. It is not going to stimulate growth and development of the poor. In both the budgets, it is noticeable that Bengal and so many other states are getting deprived," she said.

"The new government has just started functioning with a political vendetta. It is the morning that shows the day," Banerjee said.