Mamata Banerjee accuses Centre of discriminating over Yaas cyclone funds

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee says that the Centre, even though of promising to provide assistance to combat Cyclone Yaas. The centre has also agreed to provide an advance of only Rs 400 crore. But smaller states such as Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are being given Rs 600 each.

Mamata claims despite of having densely populated state, West Bengal is facing 'repeated discrimination'. She claims this following a meeting of Home Minister Amit Shah with Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Bengal and the Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

"We had a meeting with Amit Shah-ji this morning. The Centre is providing more than Rs 600-crore each to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, and only Rs 400 crore-something to Bengal to fight Cyclone Yaas. This is money being paid in advance, something the states are supposed to get. This isn't extra…

"At the meeting, I sought to know why Bengal, despite being a bigger state than Odisha and Andhra Pradesh -- both in terms of population density and number of districts -- is getting less? Why are we being deprived repeatedly?" she told reporters at the state secretariat.

Mamata Banerjee further adds Amit Shah had assured to give full cooperation, but when it came about funds, Bengal got less.

"Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are my sister states. I do not have any problem with what the Centre is offering to them. That said, can you compare UP with Pondicherry? It depends on the population density, history, geography and the boundaries," she said.

Meanwhile Amit Shah says on her claims that 'scientific views are taken into consideration' before announcing such decisions.