Bengal worst governed state,says Chidambaram

Chidambaram’s criticism came on the eve of the third phase of polling in North 24 Paragnas,South 24 Parganas and Kolkata that account for 75 seats.

While campaigning for Congress candidate Hema Chowbey in Garbeta,Chidambaram said,“The suffering of the oppressed people in this region is immense. They are tortured by both the Marxists and the Maoists. Both the groups are products of Communism. After the change of government in Bengal,the Central and state governments will work together to restore the law and order situation here,” he said.

Earlier,addressing a press conference in Kolkata,Chidambaram said that he had no doubt that a new government will come to power in Bengal. He highlighted the “precarious” financial situation in the state. Since 2004,the revenues of all the states have increased and it’s only Bengal that has had to resort to overdrafts,he claimed. “It’s one of the debt-stressed states where the tax-GDP ratio is the lowest among general category states. The state has a borrowing ceiling,but continues to borrow in excess of the limit,” he said. In April,the state government had to go for open market borrowings for an amount of over Rs 3,170 crore to ensure payment of salary,he said,adding,“A state minister told me that one lakh posts are vacant in the government,but unemployed youths cannot be recruited as the state government doesn’t have money to pay salary.”