Tarakeswar (West Bengal): Those who had “looted public money” in West Bengal were now being forced to return it and face jail, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, on the occasion of Paschimbanga Divas, at Tarakeswar, about 60 km from Kolkata.
“Those who had looted public money in Bengal are returning it now, and they are being sent to jail,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister accused earlier governments in the state of hindering development and forcing people to leave Bengal in search of opportunities elsewhere, the PM said, taking an indirect swipe at the past Trinamool Congress government in the state.
“We have been witness to how previous governments functioned. They pushed Bengal backwards and turned it into a land of exodus,” he said, according to news agency PTI.
Developm
ent efforts had gained momentum under the current dispensation and West Bengal was witnessing a fresh sense of optimism, PM Modi said.
“There is new freshness in the air of Bengal as if the state is now free from shackles,” he said, adding, “May this historic Paschimbanga Divas inspire development of West Bengal.”
He further alleged that a previous state government had stalled land transfers needed for border fencing.
“The previous government in Bengal had halted the transfer of land for border fencing. That process started under the present regime,” he said.
The PM released the 23rd instalment of the PM-Kisan scheme, transferring more than Rs 18,880 crore to over 9.44 crore beneficiaries across the country, during the event.
The programme was attended by West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, legislators, government officials and members of the public.
Among the key announcements was the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in West Bengal. The scheme is expected to provide insurance coverage to nearly 50 lakh farmers across around 14 lakh hectares of agricultural land in the state during 2026-27, with crops worth an estimated Rs 28,140 crore covered under the programme, as reported by Hindustan Times.
In addition, he inaugurated 49 road infrastructure projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III), covering more than 315 kilometres across various districts of West Bengal.