Kolkata, Jul 17 (IANS): Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Saturday said the central government will provide the maximum possible financial assistance to West Bengal.

"It is already known that Rs.22,224 crore has been allocated for Bengal. There has been a significant increase compared to the last year. Talks were held earlier about how the projects will be implemented, today (Saturday) also we discussed that," Mukherjee told reporters after an over two-hour-long meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"I have told her (Banerjee) and state Finance Minister Amit Mitra that we will provide maximum possible support to the state. We will support fully the comprehensive programmes she has taken on education and health, among others, to ensure that people get dividends from these projects," he said.

Stating that their discussion was not confined to any particular topic and it was comprehensive, he said they deliberated upon the overall political and economic situation of the country.

"We discussed the overall situation in the country... monsoon session of parliament and terrorism. I will not get the assistance of Mamata Banerjee, which I got in the last two years, in this monsoon session. That is why we held talks about how the monsoon session will be conducted. Many important bills will be tabled in this session," he said.

Banerjee said: "Our meetings are not routine meetings. Today we discussed financial condition of Bengal. We had discussed this earlier also. We also discussed the situation in Jungalmahal and (Darjeeling) hills."