West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday issued a 15-day ultimatum to the UPA government, asking it to decide on her demand for a three-year moratorium on interest the state pays for its debt.
West Bengal annually pays Rs 22,000 crore to the Centre towards debt servicing for repayment of loans.
Speaking to the media , she said, “I have met prime minister Manmohan Singh on this issue. I met finance minister Pranab Mukherjee at least 50 times during the past 11 months, but these meetings did not fetch any tangible gains.’’ She made the demand during a meeting with state government officials at the Town Hall on Saturday.
“I will meet the prime minister again and place our demand,” she said and added, “but if there is a plan to disable us financially, we will not tolerate.’’
However, the Congress sought to play down her ultimatum saying that “every CM or state has some legitimate expectations and aspirations and wants the best possible for his or her state.”
“If West Bengal Chief Minister has certain issues, demands and aspiration with the central government, I am sure the government will interlocute with her and see how the development imperatives of the state can be addressed under the Constitutional framework,” party spokesperson Manish Tewari said.
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