Thaindian News

Sarenga (West Bengal), July 13 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday categorised all tribal families of the Maoist-affected areas as below poverty line (BPL) so that everybody gets food.

Addressing a rally here in Bankura district to round off her two-day trip to the Junglemahal (forested stretches in the rebel-affected Bankura, West Midnapore and Purulia districts), Banerjee blamed the former Left Front government for poverty in the area.

“The Left Front has created total disarray in every section and they have messed up the whole BPL issue. It will take time to solve the BPL issue. So we have decided that all the tribal families of Junglemahal from now onwards will be BPL families, so that everybody gets food,” said Banerjee.

Without naming the Maoists, she appealed to them to shun violence saying problems like poverty cannot be solved through arms and violence.

“We can’t solve problems by spilling blood. Being poor is no crime. If we all work together and properly we can eradicate poverty. I want my brothers and sisters to work for the development of the area,” she said.

Banerjee, on her first visit to Bankura after taking over as chief minister, announced several developmental projects.

“We have decided to upgrade 48 secondary schools in Bankura to higher secondary level. We will also build several boys’ and girls’ hostels in the area. We have also decided to establish colleges,” said Banerjee

“After all the girls who are studying from Class 9-12 get cycles, the boys will also be given cycles,” she said.

“We will also set up colleges in Jairambati and Bankura town. We will also start a girls’ college in Kotolpur. We also have plans to establish new colleges in Purulia,” she said.

Banerjee lashed out at the previous Left Front government saying it ruined the state by creating ‘partycracy’.

“My first challenge was to restore democracy by ending ‘partycracy’. The Left has ruined the state and has pushed it towards a debt of Rs.2 lakh crore. But we will not let the debt obstruct the development of the state. We will find a solution,” said Banerjee.

Banerjee also announced plans to improve the health facilities in Junglemahal.

“Many doctors don’t want to come here. So we have decided that those doctors who will come to Junglemahal will get special privileges. We will construct residential quarters for them,” said Banerjee.

“We also have plans to build a blood bank at Khatra sub-divisional hospital so that the residents of Junglemahal don’t have to run to Kolkata for blood during treatment,” she said.

With an eye to the sizeable minority population of Bankura, Banerjee said: “Some youngsters have demanded that their secondary madrassa be converted to higher secondary madrassa. I sanction that plea.”

“I also got a request for a setting up a higher secondary madrassa in Simlapal area. I also sanction that from here itself,” Banerjee said.