Mamata reviews performance of government departments

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today reviewed the performance of various departments of her government and assessed funds released and capital expenditure incurred.
Industries minister Amit Mitra briefing on the two-hour-long administrative meeting said that during the first half of the current financial year (2014-15), the state government had released Rs 20,606.43 crore from the state plan outlay, representing a hike of 109 per cent over the corresponding period last year.
Mitra said that Banerjee had advised her cabinet colleagues and departmental secretaries for further improvement in the performance during the next six months of the current financial year.

Those who attended the meeting said that the chief minister expressed unhappiness at performance of departments like Fire Service, Food Processing, Agriculture Marketing, Law, North Bengal Development, Sports and Transport, and Self Help Group and praised the departments like Panchayat, Education, Higher Education, Women and Child Development, Municipal Affairs and Urban Development," they said.
They said that Sports and Transport Minister Madan Mitra, allegedly involved in the Saradha scam, was present in the meeting, but the CM was not interacting with him.
Textile Minister Shyamapada Mukherjee, who is also alleged to be involved in the Saradha scam, was absent in the meeting.

Going through a comparative study of the last two financial years, Mitra said that in 2012-13 state government recorded a growth of 34.94 per cent in releasing funds from state plan outlay along with some central projects.

However, growth in the capital expenditure incurred by the state government during 2012-13 was 63.55 per cent, Mitra said.
Similarly, in 2013-14 state government recorded a growth of 38.65 per cent in releasing funds from state plan outlay along with some central projects.
However, growth in the capital expenditure incurred by the state government during 2013-14 was 43.66 per cent, Mitra said.
Banerjee began reviewing meetings, both at the state and grassroots levels, soon after her government came to power. She had already conducted 72 block-level review meetings covering all the districts in the state.