West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government was engaged in developing infrastructure in the state because "if there is infrastructure there will be jobs". (Press Trust of India file photo)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today rejected the CPI-M's charge that industrialisation in the state had taken a backseat and claimed that in the small-scale sector the Trinamool Congress government was able to create 12 lakh jobs.
Ms Banerjee said her government was engaged in developing infrastructure in the state because "if there is infrastructure there will be jobs".
"We are developing infrastructure in the state because if there is infrastructure there will be jobs. In the small scale sector we have created 12 lakh jobs," Mr Banerjee said adding "some people say a lot of things but do nothing".
Former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had stated yesterday during the CPI-M plenum, "The condition of industrialisation is very bleak. That is why, we have to remove this TMC regime and save Bengal."
Speaking at a programme in South 24-Parganas district, she exhorted her partymen not to walk into the trap of any provocation by the Opposition and said her government was determined to create infrastructure and job creation.
"Hold your head high. Do not give into any provocation or conspiracy by the Opposition to damage the harmony of our state," Mr Banerjee said.
She also claimed credit for giving compensation to flood victims, something which the previous Left Front government had not done.
Turning to annual Gangasagar mela in the district, she said her government had not only withdrawn tax that was collected by the previous government from the pilgrims for visiting the mela, but also started giving insurance to the pilgrims.
"We don't say it but we get things done," she said.
The chief minister said that more than one lakh students would be given cycles next month and altogether 40 lakh cycles would be distributed under the scheme while launching 'Sabuj Sathi' scheme in the district under which school children are being given bicycles.
Highlighting success of her government's various socials schemes, she said that 31 lakh girls had benefited under 'Kanyashree' and 16 lakh students under 'Shikshashree'.
On initiatives in the health sector, she said multi-speciality hospitals would be inaugurated in Kakdwip, Metiaburz and Baruipur in January.
"We have mobile health care centres in Sagar Island for people who cannot avail health facilities due to distance," Ms Banerjee said adding that eight fair-price medicine shops are now operational.