PM, Amit Shah should apologise for disinformation campaign against Bengal: Amit Mitra

KOLKATA: West Bengal is faring better than the national rate in several parameters of industrial growth, state Finance Minister Amit Mitra claimed Sunday, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should apologise to people for running a "disinformation campaign" against the state.

Mitra cited the data of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation showing that GDP, growth in industry, services and agriculture sectors have grown faster than the national rate in the state.

The BJP often alleges that there has been no economic development in West Bengal and Central welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi are not being implemented as they do not involve "cut money".

"PM-HM's shameful DISINFORMATION campaign on Bengal CAUGHT red-handed by their own Central Statistical Orgn! Chart EXPOSES how India growth rates hit bottom under duo, while growth under MamataB soared in Bengal: GDP, Industry, Services, Agri. So, Apologise to people of Bengal," Mitra tweeted.

The data of the Statistics and Programme Implementation Ministry, estimated on August 31, 2020, showed that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country was 4.18 per cent while the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of West Bengal was 7.26 per cent.

The Gross Value Added (GVA) of the country was recorded at 3.89 per cent while that of West Bengal was ahead at 7.39 per cent, the data showed.

Indias industrial growth was 0.92 per cent while it was 5.79 per cent in the eastern state.

According to the data, West Bengal was ahead of the national rate in services and agriculture sectors also, Mitra, a former secretary general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), said.

With the assembly polls due in the state in April-May next year, the BJP recently said that the saffron party will win 200 seats in the 294-strong House, while TMC's poll strategist Prashant Kishor declared that he will quit his profession if the saffron party is able to cross double digits.

After having a limited presence in the politically polarised state for decades, the BJP emerged as the main rival of the Trinamool Congress winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general election.

In the last few years, the BJP's strength has increased manifold in the state where it has never been in power.