Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Kolkata Urges Youths for Development
Union Finance Minister Urges Youths of West Bengal to Rise and Help in wiping out Gradual Degradation of State in Economy, Technology, Intelligence, Productivity, Growth
The Union Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman on 27th February lamented the gradual degradation of West Bengal so far as economic & technological advancement, efficiency in productivity, growth and the like and urged the youths of the State to come forward and participate in rejuvenation of the State. In a lecture session at National Library, hosted by a cultural organization called Khola Haoa in Kolkata today, Smt Sitharaman said, among the 112 aspirational districts of the country, chalked out by the NITI Aayog for reforms under five broad socio-economic themes like health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skill development and infrastructure, 42 belong to Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar from the eastern part of the country. But nowhere is West Bengal.
While deliberating on the talk on ‘Viksit Bharat and Eastern India’ today in the city, the Union Finance Minister deliberated on the various Union schemes, chalked out by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi to transform India to ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. She spoke about the targeted people chosen by the Prime Minister in the interim budget for the facelift of the country, like garib (poor), women, yuva and annadatas (farmers). According to Smt Sitharaman, their needs, their aspirations, and their welfare are the government’s highest priority, because the country progresses, when they progress. In this context, she mentioned about the Pradhanmantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Pradhanmantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Svamitva Scheme and urged West Bengal to avail the benefits of these schemes to increase productivity in respective fields.
Smt Sitharaman also traced the journey of West Bengal from being one of the richest States in India in 1960s to a growth rate of 5.5% in 1993-2000, when the national growth rate was 4.6%. Over the next two decades, the State’s growth rate only declined from 4.9% in 2000-2010 to 4.2% in 2010-2010; whereas the country’s growth rate increased by 5.5% in the first decade and 5.2% in the second decade of the 21st century, she said. “The annual per capita growth of West Bengal has been lower than the national average for the past two decades,” she said. Around 35% of the total revenue of West Bengal was spent on debt servicing and pensions, leaving no fiscal room for the implementation of new schemes, she added.
The Union Finance Minister also pointed out the fact that in the past two decades about 1.1 million workers — both high-end and those at the bottom of the workforce — have migrated out of West Bengal, which was a labour recipient State till 2010,
Smt Sitharaman also mentioned about the ailing healthcare infrastructure of the State. She said, despite being given the option like Ayushman Bharat, Bengal has not grabbed the benefits of the scheme, She also lamented saying the people residing in the State have to go elsewhere for good treatment at low cost. She urged the youths of the state to rise and help in transformation of the State in this sector also.
While deliberating on the industrial production status, the Finance Minister said, in 1947, West Bengal shared industrial production at 24%. In 2020-21, it has come down to 3.5% only. She reminisced West Bengal’s past history and said, once people imbibed the thought-what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow. Smt Sitharaman at the end urged the youths to rise and help West Bengal revive its position and help in the process to be a part of the Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Posted On: 27 FEB 2024 8:54PM by PIB Kolkata
(This story has not been edited by News Mania staff and is published from a Media Release)
