By IANS,
Kolkata: Barring the CPI-M, political parties in West Bengal Monday welcomed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee completing her first month in office and praised the “positive steps” taken by the new government but felt that 30 days are too early to judge the new regime.
The Trinamool Congress-led new government completed a month in office under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, who defeated the 34-year old Left Front government in the April-May assembly elections.
The Trinamool and Congress alliance is running the state.
Among the various initiatives of the new government, the most popular one seems to be the decision to return 400 acres of land to the farmers of Singur who had parted with it unwillingly. A few days ago, the assembly passed a bill to return a portion of the land acquired by the previous government from “unwilling owners” for setting up the now abandoned Tata Motors small car factory in Singur.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front was divided in analyzing Banerjee’s performance as the new chief minister.
“We do not want to comment on her performance. It is too early,” CPI-M state secretariat member Rabin Deb told IANS.
While the CPI-M declined to comment on the performance, Left allies such as the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) welcomed Banerjee’s initiatives as positive steps.
“She has taken steps in order to fulfill her election promises. It is good. But we will see how the people get affected by this new decision,” RSP interim state secretary Khisti Goswami told IANS.
Four days after her May 20 swearing-in, Banerjee had announced that teachers of all government-funded schools will get their salaries on the 1st of every month beginning July.
Banerjee has also brought a qualitative change in the services and the atmosphere of several government hospitals by undertaking surprise visits.
“The initiatives are positive steps. We welcome those decisions and steps,” SP general secretary Kiranmoy Nanda told IANS over the phone
Less than a month after coming to power, Banerjee’s government took a big step towards restoring peace in the Darjeeling Hills by finalising a pact with the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha for creation of a new hill council with wider powers.
The Congress and Trinamool Congress leadership was all out in praising the initiatives taken by the new government under the dynamic leadership of Banerjee.
“We have fulfilled the promises we had said we will fulfill in one month. We should be given full marks,” Public Health Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee told IANS.
“The steps taken by the government are really good. They are fulfilling their election promises,” state Congress working president Pradip Bhattacharjee told IANS.
The new government has also set up an expert committee which has recommended that government will have no role to play in land acquisition for private industry and that private companies will have to buy land directly from land owners.
“By adopting this policy the government will ensure free land market, which is good for a free market economy. I think it is alright,” Bipul Malakar, professor of economics at Jadavpur University, told IANS.
Last week, Banerjee held a lively interaction with captains of industry, trying to woo investment for her state and shed her anti-industry image.
The industrialists and the economists welcomed the initiatives of the new government and felt that Banerjee was trying to ensure a good work culture.
“Thirty days are too early to judge a new government. But I think the government is moving in the right direction on the economic front. They will do well…right initiatives have been taken so far,” said Hemant Kanoria, managing director of Srei Infrastucture Finance Ltd.
“What I liked most is Banerjee’s aim to ensure good work culture in every public department,” Malakar said.