Dilip Ghosh slams Bengal budget: Questions ₹5,600 cr for madrasas, ₹1,400 cr for industries

Senior BJP leader and former MP Dilip Ghosh has criticized the West Bengal government’s budget, alleging an imbalance in fund allocation. He pointed out that while ₹5,600 crore has been allocated for madrasas, only ₹1,400 crore has been set aside for industries and ₹800 crore for North Bengal’s development. "Do you want to shut down government schools and open madrasas instead?" Ghosh questioned, adding that government schools were being neglected.

Regarding the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, Ghosh stated that the budget did not announce any additional allocation but predicted an increase before the 2026 elections. "Lakshmir Bhandar was implemented without a separate allocation, and it is being continued the same way. The allocation might increase in the next budget before elections because budgets are made for elections," he said. The scheme, which provides financial aid to women, currently has an allocation of ₹9,600 crore for 16 lakh beneficiaries.

Ghosh also criticized the government's handling of infrastructure projects, particularly the Ghatal Master Plan and the Gangasagar Bridge. He claimed that ₹1,200 crore was needed for the master plan, but the state had allocated only ₹500 crore. "If the government was serious, why didn’t they allocate funds earlier?" he asked. The Gangasagar Bridge has also received ₹500 crore, but he questioned whether this amount would be sufficient for completion.

He further alleged that funds sent by the Centre for housing projects were not being fully utilized. According to him, the Centre had allocated money to build houses for 72 lakh people, but the state government was covering only 16 lakh beneficiaries. "Why won’t the remaining eligible people get houses? The Centre is sending funds, but they are being misused," he claimed.

Speaking at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Ghosh praised the event's organization under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath. He dismissed criticisms from the Bengal government regarding mismanagement at Prayagraj, comparing its turnout of "50-60 crore visitors" to the Gangasagar Mela, which he claimed saw a significantly lower crowd. His remarks come amid increasing political friction in Bengal as the BJP continues to attack the ruling party over governance and budget allocations.