Mamata slams Centre's disinvestment plans, asks PM to speak to economists

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee criticised Centre's move to disinvest Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) like Air India and Bharat Petroleum on Thursday. Opposing Centre's decision to sell off or disinvest shares in several PSUs, Banerjee contended that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should talk to experts and all political parties to deal with ecomic crisis. "If you do disinvestment of everything, what will remain with Centre? Good investment needs to be done in defense, Air India and Railways," said TMC supremo calling this to be a very serious situation that needs to be thought about.

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"We are proud of BSNL, Air India, Bengal Chemicals, Indian Railways, Ordinance factories, Bharat Petroleum. ir names are connected with pride of country. Institutions like Bharat Petroleum are also facing disinvestment. By disinvestment of se public institutions, money is being used for investment for country. But se are temporary, t permanent. ir needs to be ecomic stability for a permanent solution because if this continues n ecomy will only worsen," said Mamata Banerjee in Bengal's Behrampore.

In a big move on privatisation, Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved sale of government stakes in blue-chip oil firm BPCL, shipping firm Shipping Corporation of India and cargo mover Concor. Centre also decided to cut shareholding in select public sector firms below 51% to boost revenue collections that have been hit by slowing ecomy.

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Questions future of bank mergers

Mamata Banerjee who has been a constant critic of disinvestment policies of Centre, questioned on future of bank mergers as well. She said, " various schemes that are working in our state is functioning through UBI and or leing banks. If all se banks are merged and hequarters, which are in Bengal are removed from here, what will happen to schemes run by m? What will happen to various officers who are working? future of se schemes is debatable."

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Suggests talk with ecomists, slams digitalisation drive

CM Banerjee also suggested Prime Minister Modi should seriously speak to ecomists on this situation and even asserted that it should be solved by taking a consensus of states. "We are rey for an all-party meet on ecomy; only n elected government can work. Opinions of all state governments need to be taken so that employment increases. Public spending is low. People are scared that y won't have ir own money in ir hands", said Mamata Banerjee. Speaking on Centre's move of digitalisation, Banerjee said  Indian society has never been and can never be a cashless society. She questioned benefits of digital payment systems and stated that it won't help because if people don't have money n it will be of use. 

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