KALAIKUNDA/KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that the monthly basic income support scheme promised in Trinamool Congress’s manifesto would provide “financial flexibility” to the woman head of families who otherwise have no means of earning and must depend on others.
“In most households, women run the family but they have to depend on others for money. This will ensure they have some money in their hands to spend for their family as per their needs. This will be like pocket money. Demonetisation and lockdown had snatched their Lakhhir bhar (personal cash savings). Most had to be broken. This is to slowly return and refill it,” Banerjee said.
Speaking at the media centre in Trinamool Bhawan, party secretary-general Partha Chatterjee and MP Derek O’Brien said: “Unlike BJP, this is not an empty poll promise. The provision for the roughly Rs 12,900 crore for this scheme has been factored into the state budget for 2021-22.”
“Bengal also has around 92% people with bank accounts, much more than the national average. Hence, the direct cash transfer will be easier to implement,” they added.
Chatterjee further said only households that have a taxpayer member and have more than 2 hectares land would be beyond this scheme’s ambit, which roughly accounts for around 45 lakh households. “As many as 1.6 crore households in Bengal will be eligible for this scheme.”
The CM said: “While the government schemes ensure that families get free ration, hospital treatment and educational support, the Rs 6,000 per annum for general-caste households and Rs 12,000 per annum for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe households would help financially empower women family heads. They always prioritise the family before themselves.”
“It is also the reason why Swasthya Sathi cards will be given to them. They must renew this after three years. This is a stipulation because many elderly family members die and the family’s entitlement in their absence should not be lost,” she added.
Banerjee further said the Rs 10 lakh credit card scheme for students would help families who find it difficult to fund their children’s higher education. “The government will stand guarantee for these credit cards. The interest will only be 4%. To continue higher studies, students do not have to take money from parents. They can finance their own studies, pursue their dreams,” she said.
“The Rs 10,000 cash benefit transfer to 15 lakh high school students to buy tablets and smartphones will continue,” she added.
Senior minister Subrata Mukherjee fielded questions on how the state revenue, which partly goes towards financing debts, would be able to also finance the newly announced schemes. He said: “The states are paying their quota to the Centre but are not getting back what has been promised to them. But the upside is the constant revenue growth in Bengal, with Mamata Banerjee in office.”