KOLKATA: As the Mamata Banerjee government has taken a decision to create a special relief fund seeking public donations for flood and landslide-affected North Bengal, the BJP on Tuesday questioned the motive.
The last time the state government created such a relief fund was during the Covid-19 pandemic period in 2020. Under the fresh relief fund, the state government had kept the option open for utilising the proceeds for spending in the event of a future disaster in any corner of the state and not just for North Bengal.
The decision to create the North Bengal relief fund has prompted questions on the condition of the state exchequer in West Bengal, where the state government is "forced" to seek public donations for even emergency services. Former BJP state president in West Bengal and Union Minister of State for Education, Sukanta Majumdar, on Tuesday, questioned the justification for creating the fund without being clear on how the Central share in the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) during the last five years was used.