WB CM Mamata Banerjee slams BSF before civic polls; 'stay out of villages & local issues'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel posted on the border should not enter villages in the name of community development programmes (CDPs) and interfere in local issues. Banerjee was addressing an administrative meeting of North Dinajpur district at Kaliagan

Speaking at the event Banerjee said, "Police should stay alert as North Dinajpur shares border with other states as well as Bangladesh. We have spoken to the Home Minister about the activities of BSF and the personnel posted on the border should not enter villages in the name of community development programmes and interfere in local issues. Law and order is a state subject. Police officers posted in areas should look into the matter and do the needful," she said.

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Bangle Awas Yojana

Banerjee also launched a new housing scheme named "Snehaloy", under which the underprivileged families will be given Rs 1.20 lakh each from the state government to build houses. The scheme helps those economically backward people who do not qualify for the state government's present housing scheme - Bangle Awas Yojana.

Mamata said the scheme would benefit around 25,000 people in West Bengal. She said that nearly 25,000 people from economically weaker sections had contacted the grievance cell, requesting for a house to live in, as they do not qualify for the Bangle Awas Yojana.

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"25,000 people have made such requests to Didi. For them, today we are launching a new housing scheme ''Snehaloy''. Under this scheme, the beneficiaries will get Rs 1.20 lakh each. We have handed out the cheques and certificates to a large number of people today," Mamata said.

The scheme comes at the time when state-wide civic polls are likely to be held next month. The polls are being considered as a 'semi-final' ahead of the main West Bengal Assembly election in 2021.

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(with ANI inputs)