Health,industry,education are priorities,says Mamata

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee,who hit the campaign trail with a road show at Behala in Kolkata,said that if voted to power.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee,who hit the campaign trail on Sunday evening with a road show at Behala in Kolkata,said that if voted to power,the party will give priority to industry,health,education and administrative reforms in the first 200 days of the government.

The health sector in West Bengal is in a shambles. I want to make a super speciality hospital in each sub-division so that the people of the villages do not have to rush to the government hospitals in the city, Banerjee said in an interview to a Bengali news channel. Not only that,I will also try to develop the primary health centres so that people get basic minimum health facility there. It will reduce the pressure on government hospitals in the city, she said.

Criticising the Left Front government for having no plans so far as industry in concerned,Banerjee said,In the last one-and-a-half years as Railway Minister,I have brought Rs one lakh crore investment in the state. I have started 17 industries which will be functional soon and started Rail Bikas Parished to provide a transport system to the people, she said.

According to her,there should be a vision and a planning which the Left Front government never had. Alleging that the Left Front government has crippled three generations in the last 35 years,Banerjee said,I will try to revive the quality of education and overhaul the administrative structure. Without a better administration,a government cannot function properly. Administrative reform is inevitable for the smooth running of the government.

Ridiculing the Left Front governments promise to give rice at Rs 2 per kg if voted to power,Banerjee said,The people who have BPL cards get work for 100 days and rice at Rs 2 per kg. What is new in the commitment? There is no electricity in half of the villages of West Bengal. The state government could not do anything in the last 35 years.

The condition of Kolkata is deplorable. After Kalyani,which was planned and developed by late Bidhan Chandra Roy,no planned city developed in the last 35 years, Banerjee said. The state government failed to make Salt Lake function properly. In the name of making another city at Rajarhat,CPM-led Left Front grabbed acres of land, she added. Who will take the responsibility of these failures? she asked.

The people have prepared the result sheet. Left Fronts departure has now been written on the wall, Banerjee said.

Story continues below this ad

At Behala,flanked by her partys candidates for of the area,the railway minister walked a six-km stretch from Thakurpukur and covered parts of Behala (East),Behala (West),Maheshtala and Bishnupur constituencies. With a ban on the use of microphones in open spaces till the end of all examinations,Banerjee did not address any gathering. She walked with folded hands and smiling at the huge gathering who had lined along the road. The enthusiasm among her supporters was noteworthy with women blowing conch shells and children and youth also taking part in her road show.

On March 29,Banerjee will undertake another road show in north Kolkata constituencies of Baranagar,Kashipur-Belgachia,Shyampukur. This will be followed by a road show from Beleghata Gandhi Maidan to Park Circus Maidan,covering the constituencies of Beleghata,Maniktola and Chowringhee,on April 1. From April 13 to April 15,she will visit north Bengal to campaign for her party.