Bengal CM urges Centre to clear pending dues to help fight COVID-19

Kolkata, July 27 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre to clear all financial dues of the state immediately to help it battle against COVID-19 effectively.While speaking at an online programme where Modi inaugurated new testing facilities in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, Banerjee said: "We have already spent more than Rs 2,500 crore for COVID-19 pandemic. But we have only received Rs 125 crore. I would like to request the Prime Minister to clear the dues of Rs 53,000 crore that we are supposed to get from the central government."Banerjee said that there is a need for a separate fund to fight the pandemic. "I would request the Prime Minister to kindly look into the issue," she said.She said if the Bengal government utilises all money from the state disaster relief fund for post-cyclone restoration works, how willit fight the pandemic situation in the state.
--IANS sbn/sdr/