West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced an additional DA installment of six per cent for state government employees amidst protest by opposition CPI-M that she did not follow Assembly rules while making the statement even as Congress staged a walkout.
Banerjee, who appeared in the House to give a statement on the price rise situation during the question hour, said that despite all the financial constraints the state was facing, the employees would get a six per cent increase in DA from January, 2014.
War of words broke out between the Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition and CPI(M) member Surya Kanta Mishra who contended that Banerjee was not following the Assembly rules in making the statement as it also required a debate amongst all parties.
Mishra also said that the Chief Minister came to the House for a statement on the price rise, but announced DA rise for the state government employees. Banerjee contested it and said that the issues were related.
The Chief Minister said she should not be guided by the Leader of the Opposition on what is to be done and asked the Speaker to allow Mishra to speak for some time. Speaker Biman Banerjee interrupted and said under the Assembly rules, the Chief Minister can make a statement in the House on any important matter and no question should be asked while the statement was being made.
At this point TMC member Subrata Mukherjee intervened to say that Mishra's intention was clear and aimed at interrupting the Chief Minister, which is condemnable.
It was very much within the rules and conventions of the Assembly, he asserted.While Banerjee was blaming the Centre for its wrong policies which was causing rise of prices of essential commodities, Congress members stood up shouting and asked the Speaker to allow them to speak, which was not entertained. They subsequently staged a walk-out. Apparently annoyed, she said that neither the Congress, the CPI-M or the BJP would form the government at the Centre.Banerjee said people are fed up with the Centre and regional parties would form the government.
She also said the state government would supply certified potato seeds to 30,000 farmers in the four districts of Hooghly, Burdwan, West Midnapore and Birbhum at much lower rates than what procured from Punjab.The seeds were being developed by scientists in the state, she said. "This was a baby step and let us see the result," she said.
Banerjee said that efforts were also being made to develop seeds of other vegetables like onion.West Bengal also needed to be self-sufficient in fish and egg supplies and become less dependent on other states and do away with the transportation costs, she added.The chief minister also announced that one lakh metric tonne of potato would be sent to Odisha as the situation was grave there.She said that potato prices were higher in Tripura than West Bengal.
Banerjee also demanded that the Centre devolve 70 per cent of the total tax collection from West Bengal to the state.
