‘REVDI’ BUDGET FOR RURAL BENGAL?... FOR TMC & BJP NORTH BENGAL CRUCIAL

since been making all attempts to expand and strengthen its base in North Bengal and with the advancement of the panchayat polls the battle of supremacy has intensified. And it will be very interesting to see who manages a stronghold in the region. According to political grapevine, there’s buzz that the Centre may hold peace parleys with the KLO — a proscribed militant outfit that was formed in 1995 by a section of Rajbanshis to demand a separate Kamtapur state comprising several districts from North Bengal and Assam.

Even as the WB unit of the BJP has denied the same, the ruling party has taken cognisance of it and has been fiercely opposing another “Partition” of WB. Clearly North Bengal is high in the agenda for both TMC and BJP and no party is leaving any stone unturned.

A Populist West Bengal Budget

l `3,39,162-crore budget was presented by Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya l Government has waived agricultural income-tax on tea gardens and rural employment cess

However, the TMC swept the 2021 Assembly polls, bagging 211 of the total 294 seats as against the BJP’s 77. The BJP still had an upper hand in North Bengal, winning 29 of its 54 seats while the TMC managed 24 seats in the region. However, the TMC has since been making all attempts to expand and strengthen its base in North Bengal and with the advancement of the panchayat polls the battle of supremacy has intensified. And it will be very interesting to see who manages a stronghold in the region

Ahead of the panchayat polls in West Bengal, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, focussed on the schemes meant for the rural populace and the budget had jhalak of the same. In the `3,39,162-crore budget presented by Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, the government has waived agricultural income-tax on tea gardens and the rural employment cess and announced a death-benefit scheme for fishermen and a ` 3,000-crore project for strengthening rural roads.

“I propose to exempt payment of rural employment cess under the West Bengal Rural Employment and Production Act 1976 and the education cess under the West Bengal Primary Education Act 1973 for the next two years (financial years 2023-24 and 2024-25). Also, I propose to waive the agricultural income tax on tea gardens for the next two financial years,” Bhattacharya said in her budget speech.

“In order to ensure the continuity of financial support beyond 60 years of age, I am happy to announce that the