Kolkata, Nov 29 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Friday countered the allegations of the ruling Trinamool Congress regarding denial of assistance by the Union government under various Central-sponsored schemes to the West Bengal government.

In his reaction to the mediapersons on a motion brought on this issue by the Treasury Bench on the fifth day of the ongoing Winter Session of the Assembly on Friday, Adhikari resorted to figures to counter the claims of the ruling party.

"The Trinamool Congress leaders often claim that the Union government, after collecting an amount of Rs 4.6 lakh crore as taxes from West Bengal had held back Rs 1.6 lakh crore of Central dues to the state government. The reality is that from the financial year 2018-19 to 2022-23, the Union government has given Rs 6.48 lakh crore under various centrally-sponsored schemes to the West Bengal government," Adhikari said.

He also accused the state government of refusing to abide by the financial discipline introduced by the Union government to ensure their expenditure under various non-productive heads including sponsoring fairs and festivals.

Claiming that there had been massive irregularities in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme, the leader of the opposition cited an example where a Trinamool Congress panchayat chief at Beldanga in Murshidabad district being alone 17 houses under this scheme.

"I am surprised how they are still roaming free instead of being behind bars. The ruling Trinamool Congress had deprived the common people of West Bengal for their narrow political gains. The Union government has not deprived Bengal. Trinamool Congress and the state government have deprived the people of the state," Adhikari said.

Speaking on the occasion, he also criticised both Trinamool Congress and CPI-M for maintaining silence on the issue of the attacks and atrocities on the minority Hindu community in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Courtesy Media Group: IANS