Rs. Mamata shares Rs 4 lakh crore with Center

(PTI) Kolkata, Ta. 3

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has claimed that the government has recently raised Rs 4 lakh crore by raising fuel prices. Mamata further said that by raising fuel prices, the amount collected by the government should be shared equally among the states.

During the assembly session, Banerjee alleged that the central government had recently reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel in view of the forthcoming assembly elections.

Addressing the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Mamata Banerjee said the central government had collected excise duty of Rs 4 lakh crore by selling cooking gas, petrol and diesel at high prices. Now the central government wants the states to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel. Where will the states get their money from? The central government should distribute Rs 4 lakh crore evenly among the states.

Mamata further said that despite the financial crisis, the West Bengal government was giving various subsidies to the states. Whenever elections are approaching, the Center reduces prices and when the elections are over, the central government starts raising petrol and diesel prices again.

Mamata further accused the Center of doing injustice to West Bengal in providing vaccines. West Bengal has been given very low doses of vaccine as compared to Uttar Pradesh. "We have assured that we will not waste the dose of the vaccine but we have been given low doses," she said.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has announced a package of Rs 10,000 crore to compensate those who have been displaced or affected or lost their land due to the Deocha Pachami coal mine project in Birbhum district.