Bengal CM Mamata releases TMC manifesto, promises income for all

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday unveiled a "development-oriented" manifesto for the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal, promising an income scheme for all families, a student credit card and constitution of a task force to examine the inclusion of several communities under the OBC category.

Claiming that her government has reduced poverty in the state by 40 per cent, the manifesto also promised to increase annual financial aid to farmers from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000.

"For the first time, every family in Bengal will be extended a minimum basic income. Under this, 1.6 crore general category families will get Rs 500 a month, whereas SC/ST category families will get Rs 1,000. The money will be directly transferred to the woman head of a family," Banerjee said.

A new student credit card scheme will be introduced with a credit limit of Rs 10 lakh and an interest rate of only 4 per cent will be charged, the West Bengal chief minister said.

"We will set up 10 lakh new MSMEs and 2000 new big industrial units in the next five years," she said.

"We shall appoint a Special Task Force to examine and propose OBC status to all the communities which are not recognised as OBCs like Mahishya, Tili, Tamul and Sahas. We will also ask the Government of India to grant ST status to Mahatos," the TMC chief said.

A Special Development Board would be set up for the development of Terai and Dooars region in north Bengal, she said.