Kolkata, May 30 (IANS): Union Finance Minister and Congress stalwart Pranab Mukherjee Sunday said both short-term and long-term measures are necessary to solve West Bengal's critical financial problem.
"In order to solve the critical financial problem of West Bengal, short-term and long-term measures are necessary. I have requested and Mamata Banerjee has accepted that state finance secretary will go to New Delhi and discuss the matter with the officials of union finance ministry," said Mukherjee after coming out of a meeting attended by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and state Finance Minister Amit Mitra at his residence here.
"The amount of help that is needed immediately will be given," he added.
State Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee, state Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh and officials from both state and central government were also present at the 70-minute meeting.
"And after that discussion we will again discuss the matter in Delhi so that necessary measures can be taken as per the federal structure. Today's discussion was very constructive and fruitful. I am again saying this that in order to turn the people's mandate into reality, the central government will help the state government in every way possible," said Mukherjee.
Banerjee slammed the previous Left Front government for misusing the state finances and said that short-term, mid-term and long- term policies will be sorted out at both officers and ministerial level to bring aback the healthy financial situation.
"Today we had a meeting with Pranabda. We have briefed him about the disastrous financial condition of the state. Since last November, the treasury in West Bengal was closed. The situation was serious. We are doing a special scrutiny," Banerjee told media persons after the meeting.
"After the meeting, it was decided that short-term, mid-term and long-term policies will be chalked out to solve this problem. The way the state finance has been misused and the finance situation is very bad. We have discussed how healthy financial situation can be restored. Our officers will go to Delhi. The state finance minister will also go to Delhi. I will go to Delhi during the plan discussion," Banerjeee said.
"We have faith that as the central government is also our government. The financial situation is worse than that after (Cyclone) Aila. Pranabda has said that we will get all the help. The first meeting will be held at official level and the next meeting will be held at ministerial level," she said.