Asked centre for pending Rs 700 cr to tackle river erosion: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she has demanded Rs 700 crore from the central government during her recent trip to Delhi, saying the amount has been pending for over 20 years.

Banerjee said the central government had promised the amount to the state government for tackling erosion of Ganga and Padma rivers during the Chief Ministerial stint of Jyoti Basu when India and Bangladesh signed the Ganga water sharing treaty in 1996.

The "sharing of the Ganga/Ganges waters at Farakka" pact was inked by then Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina on December 12, 1996, in New Delhi

"I know Farakka is a major problem. We signed the Ganga water sharing pact. It happened during Jyoti Basu's rule. The centre had then said it will give Rs 700 crore to the state government to check Ganga-Padma erosion," said Banerjee.

"The value of the Rs 700 crore at that time is equivalent to a sum of Rs 7,000 crore now. But not a single paisa has been given. Many villages are under water. During my recent visit to Delhi, I again raised this issue and reminded them about the centre's commitment," she said.

--IANS

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