Development in Bengal only on paper, not on the ground: Ram Kripal Yadav

Accusing West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee government of "unwillingness" to implement central schemes, Union Rural Development Minister Ram Kripal Yadav on Tuesday said the regime's tall claims of development in the state was "only on paper" and not on the ground.

He threatened to order a probe into the huge gulf between the state government's claims and actual implementation of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana

Refering to his field visit to the rural areas of Howrah district for a first hand experience of implementation of the housing project, Yadav said despite the state government's claims, he found "not a single house has been constructed for the poor people. In fact, some old women came to me and started weeping, saying they badly needed a home".

"It seems the present government in Bengal is not interested in ushering in development. They don't want to implement central projects. Development work has been down only on paper, and not on the ground. This is a matter of deep concern and regret," he said.

"After my experience, I find it hard to believe the state government's claim they have built three lakh houses under the PM Awas Yojana. I will order a probe."

Turning to the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, he said: "Across India, the share of the women in this project is 56 percent. But in Bengal the figure is lower, 46 per cent."

--IANS

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