In a curious transfer, BJP MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato from Purulia wrote a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, demanding that the cash for the state’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme be doubled to a month-to-month Rs 2,000 per recipient.
Presently, beneath the federal government scheme for ladies, Rs 1,000 is given every month to the final class beneficiaries and Rs 1,200 to SC/ST ladies.
“As a robust political opponent however equally as somebody involved concerning the welfare of our state, I’m compelled to jot down. Whereas the scheme has offered some monetary reduction, the present quantity of Rs 1,000-Rs 1,200 per thirty days is inadequate in right now’s financial local weather, particularly given West Bengal’s inflation fee,” Mahato wrote in his letter.
“In BJP-ruled Maharashtra, the federal government offers Rs 1,500 per thirty days to ladies beneath the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, which serves a bigger demographic and has a broader impression. Equally, Jharkhand has taken a proactive method by rising their money help beneath the Mukhyamantri Maiyan Samman Yojana to Rs 2,500 per thirty days. These states, regardless of their monetary challenges, have proven dedication to ladies’s empowerment by providing substantial and significant help,” the letter learn
“The monetary reduction offered beneath Lakshmir Bhandar is inadequate to fight the excessive inflation fee in West Bengal, largely as a result of corrupt practices of your party-affiliated middlemen who manipulate the markets. From fundamental meals gadgets to utilities, costs are skyrocketing, diminishing the worth of the help supplied beneath this scheme. This monetary assist barely covers a fraction of family bills, making it extra of a political gimmick than a step in the direction of true empowerment,” Mahato claimed.
He added, “The West Bengal exchequer is already beneath immense stress, with an annual outlay of over Rs 12,000 crore on this scheme alone.”
“To make sure the sustainability of welfare packages like Lakshmir Bhandar with out derailing the economic system, it’s best to think about Enhancing income assortment: Enhance tax compliance and increase industrialization. Curbing corruption: Clear governance will unlock important public assets. Rationalizing expenditures: Prioritise productive investments in infrastructure, healthcare, and training, alongside welfare measures,” the letter continued.
“Lakshmir Bhandar might be a strong instrument for ladies’s empowerment, however not if it stays a mere bribe to lure voters,” Mahato wrote.
