Bengal CM asks for special economic package from Centre: Sources

Kolkata, May 11 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday asked for special economic package from the Centre during a videoconference session with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources at the state Secretariat Nabanno said.

The meeting was held between the PM and Chief Ministers of different states to review the ground situation across India in the third phase of the nationwide lockdown.

According to the sources, apart from the special economic package for Bengal, Banerjee sought central assistance to bring back all bengal migrant labourers stranded in various parts of the country.

She also appealed to the Prime Minister and all other political parties not to engage in any sort of politics during coronavirus crisis. She is also said to have appealed to everyone to come forward and work together in fighting the crisis.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Dilip Ghosh said that he would send a list of 3.29 lakh migrants from West Bengal now stranded across India.

“Earlier, I had sent a list of 11,790 migrant workers to the state administration. I also forwarded the same list to 12 other states to facilitate return of these people. Some Trinamool Congress Ministers in Bengal have challenged my information and the list that I sent to the states’ Shief Secretaries. Thus, I have prepared a list of 3.29 lakhs migrant labourers and would send it to the state’s Chief Secretary today itself via email,” Ghosh said, adding that almost 90 per cent of these people are involved in jewellery manufacturing sector.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury accused the state government of “deliberately not allowing” the migrant workers to return home.

“They are trying to portray that if these migrant labourers return the corona cases in West Bengal will further rise. The state government has to clarify its stand on the migrant workers issue,” he said.

–IANS

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