Calling it a “Fiscal-Social Stimulus Package”, state’s Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said the distribution of funds would be done to enhance direct income and relief measures for the poorer section, with a special provision for SC, ST, minority communities, women and less developed villages. The government had, in 2005, identified 4,600 villages as the poorest of the poor.

However, the Trinamool Congress called it a “political gimmick”. “The Left Front government has failed in all spheres of rural development, including implementation of the NREGS. People will understand this bluff,” said Partha Chatterjee, the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly.

“What would be the source of this fund? If they have enough money, why are tea garden workers are starving? Why the NREG schemes are not being implemented,” Chatterjee said.

While Dasgupta has allotted only Rs 25 crore to information and technology sector for its expansion in the domestic market, he promised Rs 996 crore for the education sector for the appointment of new teachers or establishment of vocational training courses in 1,000 schools. Each school will get Rs 15 lakh for this purpose.