West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee lost her cool several times at an administrative meeting in Dakshin Dinajpur district on Tuesday while reviewing the government’s ongoing projects there.
“There is a difference between being pro-active, taking initiative, and doing routine work,” she told officers at the meeting. She expressed her disappointment about an animal resources development programme in a block where only 19 per cent target had been achieved in the financial year so far, and in which the officer handling the project hoped to achieve cent per cent target over the next three months or so. Chief secretary Rajiva Sinha asked the officer concerned to submit a report on how to achieve such a huge target over the next three months.
At one point, Banerjee, out of frustration said, “I can review the work if only there has been some work done! If there is such negative attitude, how can work get done!”
She repeatedly said that “the report card of this district is very bad. I and the chief secretary have reviewed the progress of this district. Tell me any area in which you all have done well.”
Banerjee asked for reasons why work hadn’t been done despite officials getting all the freedom and despite lack of interference from the state administrative headquarters, Nabanna. She asked elected members of the panchayat whether they were aware of the health scheme, Swashya Sathi, under which the poor can get free treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh. It appeared the health secretary too had some lack of clarity in this when she was asked to explain the scheme to the panchayat members, and the chief secretary took over at this point and explained the project to those present at the meeting.
Banerjee appeared disappointed with the methodology of work in Dakshin Dinajpur, saying that the district magistrate was working alone, but should involve everyone in it. She asked the block development officers to hold meetings with people every month to ensure they got benefits of government-run schemes.
She reiterated at the meeting that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) would not be implemented in the state, and asked people to not be afraid of “rumours”.
