Bengal shows the way: Mamata Banerjee

Hitting out at the Centre for giving large advertisements on its achievements, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today claimed that it was the West Bengal government which was carrying out development though lacking funds.

"Who did it? West Bengal? Isn't it?," Banerjee asked.

Giving the example of polio, she said that the last polio case was detected in the state 3 to 4 years ago after which her state government eradicated it.

"There is no case now from here and that is why India got the polio-free certificate. The credit must go to West Bengal," Banerjee said at the state secretariat, Nabanna launching a slew of development programmes.

"It has shown how to carry forward development work without money. We have created models like fair price medicine shops and diagnostic centres," she said dwelling on the Centre taking away Rs 70,000 crore in interest on loans taken by the previous Left Front government.

Roads would be built in the islands of Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a bridge would be built over the Bokkhali river within the next two years she said.

She said that the government would pay rural artists Rs 1000 per month besides employing them in various government campaigns.

Banerjee said 500 marketing hubs would be constructed to provide additional livelihood opportunities to 5 lakh families.

Among projects launched by her were 62 drinking water schemes, 27 hostels, 1 school building, 4 krishak bazars, 2 seed testing facilities, SSKM's intensive therapy unit and patient's waiting room, a renovated Nazrul Manch, 2 urban housing projects and a flyover in Garden Reach area.

She also declared a state government holiday on March 17 for the Holi festival.