Calcutta, Sept 6: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today began setting targets for the next 100 days of her government at a meeting with a group of ministers.
Sources in the government said Mamata would meet all ministers in the coming days to set targets for each department.
“The chief minister held a review meeting with some ministers and senior officials today. She has also specified the areas for departments to focus on,” a senior minister said.
“Rural development is obviously a priority for her,” the minister added.
Ministers and secretaries of departments such as panchayat, irrigation, public health engineering and fisheries attended today’s meeting. Tomorrow, Mamata will meet the ministers in charge of tourism, urban development and municipal affairs and environment.
Mamata today enquired about progress made in the projects announced by the new government, especially those related to Jungle Mahal.
“She spoke about funds that had to be returned to the Centre during the Left rule because of failure to use the money. The chief minister clarified that she doesn’t want a repeat of such incidents,” a senior minister said.
During a meeting with Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh last week, Mamata is said to have learnt that Bengal lost Rs 350 crore earmarked for integrated water management programme over two years because of the then government’s failure to utilise the funds.
Mamata was quoted as saying that she wants projects related to “backward” districts to be prioritised.
According to the sources, Mamata laid stress on projects such as the Kisan Credit Cards (which will ensure loans and crop insurance to farmers) and the national rural job guarantee scheme (NREGA).
“The chief minister has issued strict instructions that the target for providing Kisan Credit Cards has to be reached at all costs. The agriculture minister and the departmental secretary were asked to take special care,” said another minister.
The sources added that the chief minister was not happy with the performance of districts in implementing NREGA projects during the Left rule.
Mamata had held a similar meeting with the ministers and senior bureaucrats at the Town Hall before her government completed its 100 days.
Mamata had released a booklet on August 23 on what her government had done in its first 90 days in power.
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