Mollifying Mamata: Centre pushes for water supply projects in Bengal

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday sought to mollify West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by vigorously pushing for over Rs 3000 crore externally-aided water supply projects for the state.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, who was reportedly sent by the Congress high command last week to mend relations with Banerjee and failed to meet her during his three-day stay in the state, today pushed the case of four water supply projects, which are in the pipeline, with the Finance Ministry.

During his visit, Ramesh, who is also holding the portfolio of Drinking Water and Sanitation, had discussed the issue of water supply projects already in pipeline in the districts of South 24 Parganas, Purulia and Bankura with state Panchyat Minister Subrata Mukherjee.

Sources said Ramesh has brought to the notice of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee about the World Bank-aided Rs 1332.41 crore Surface Water Supply Project-2 for South 24 Parganas, Japanese JICA-aided Rs 1288 crore project for Purulia.

Ramesh also drew Mukherjee's attention to a Water Supply Project Phase I for Bankura at an estimated cost of Rs 1011 crore which has already been sanctioned under BRGF (Backward Regions Grant Fund), another Bankura-Phase II at an estimated cost of Rs 691 crore with proposed funding from JICA for which the state government is preparing the Detailed Project Report.

The relationship between Congress and Trinamool Congress headed by Banerjee had come under a lot of strain over several issues and worsened to such an extent that Banerjee had recently asked the Bengal unit of Congress to quit the state's ruling coalition if it so desired.

Congress is heavily dependent on Trinamool, which has 20 members in the Lok Sabha and six in the Rajya Sabha - to run the UPA government.