In the recent report sent by the state to the Center on 100 days of work, the Center questioned the data of 15 districts. State Panchayat Minister Pradeep Majumdar held a meeting with Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday regarding the outstanding amount. After the discussion with the Union Minister, Pradeep Babu claimed, ‘The meeting has been fruitful.’ In this environment, the state government is hoping to open the 100-day work arrears before the panchayat polls.
It may be noted that the state government has complained that since December last year, the center has not paid the dues of 100 days of work to the state. In 10 months, about seven and a half thousand crore rupees are due in this project. After the meeting in this atmosphere, Giriraj Singh assured Pradip Babu to settle the dues. Pradeep Babu claimed that the Union Minister has understood the entire matter after seeing the documents sent by the state. He said, ‘Hopefully, everything will be resolved very soon.’
Incidentally, the Center had made it clear that the money would not be given to the state if the work was not done properly. After that, the center sent the report to the state. Similarly, the state government had submitted the Action Taken Report to the Center last September. On November 3, the Center sent a letter to the state expressing its displeasure over the report. After that 15 districts (Nadia, Murshidabad, Jhargram, Bankura, Purulia, two Medinipur, two Twenty-four Parganas, Cooch Behar, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Birbhum and two Dinajpur) were directed to send fresh action taken reports. Navanna gave this order only after the Center raised questions about those 15 districts. According to Navanna, this report should be sent by November 14. In the meantime, the state minister demanded a meeting with the central minister to cut the entanglement.