Whose scheme is it anyway? Bengal gears up for a BJP vs Trinamool PR battle

The BJP and All India Trinamool Congress are having a PR war in Bengal. To counter the BJP's efforts at showcasing Central schemes, the AITC has decided to set up camps once a week in every district to make people aware of the state government's initiatives.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged block development officers, district magistrates and the Zila Parishad chiefs to set up camps in districts and blocks to showcase the state government's schemes.

She has urged his ministers to review the work carried out by the DM’s and BDOs every month and submit a report to the chief minister's office (CMO).

Already the state government has increased incentives for civic volunteers and ASHA workers in the ICDS centers in the state.

However, the problem remains that people still remain confused about government schemes.

Sources in the state government said that the district officers have been instructed to prepare pamphlets in Bengali so that they can be given to households.

BJP president Amit Shah has alleged that the benefits of Central schemes aren't reaching the people at the grassroots level as the AITC government was blocking their implementation.

Mamata Banerjee in her recent district visit to Coochbehar, Alipurduar , Uttar Dinajpur, Malda in North Bengal, reiterated the success of the state government's initiatives and attacked the BJP for “copying schemes from Bengal”.

“We started the Kanyashree program and received accolades from United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and Unicef. The Centre started the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao program. They gave a pittance to states for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme and we have allotted Rs 1,100 crore for Kanyashree alone. West Bengal has already received awards for the Nirmal Bangla Abhiyan. The Centre has launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.”

The BJP is claiming the opposite – that Central grants have increased after Modi came to power. They claim that in the 14th Finance Commission, the Central grant for disaster relief and local bodies has been increased for Bengal.

According West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, “BJP's rise has left Mamata Banerjee petrified. That’s why they are trying everything to curb our rise. They can abduct people and buy people. They can organise camps to showcase their projects. But people are aware of their false claims and how corrupt leaders are being protected in the party”.