As for example, the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, announced in the meeting that neither a single Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSU) including Eastern Coalfields Ltd. (ECL), be closed permanently nor a single worker be retrenched. On the other hand the Union Coal Minister Mr. Dilip Roy on February 9, informed the State Government in writing that all the workers and employees of ECL, aged 55 and above have to be retrenched. Otherwise ECL have to be referred to the Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction. This is nothing but a threat to close down ECL. In this connection, it may be mentioned that the Board of ECL have already taken the decision to close down permanently 64 coalmines involving 72 thousand workforce. Similarly, the Union Cabinet has already taken decision to close down 7 other CPSU in West Bengal involving several thousands of workforce.

In the same meeting, the Union Petroleum Minister, Mr. Ramamurthy announced that 8 exploration projects will start working in West Bengal within 3 months. The ONGC authority has denied of any such projects in their hand. In fact, there is only one rig in the State at present, working at Ichhapur. The ONGC authority is seriously trying to remove that rig to Madhya Pradesh.

Mr. Mahajan had alleged that the State had failed to spend any money on the Teesta Canal project. On the contrary, out of Rs, 766 crores, the State has already spent Rs. 621 crores. The Centre has so far given only Rs. 145 crores, out of which 70 per cent came as loan on an interest rate of 12.5 per cent. This year the Vajpayee government has given the entire amount of Rs. 20 crores as loan only. It may be mentioned that the Central Government gave the entire amount as grant to the Bhakra Nangal project in Punjab.

Similarly, Mr. Mahajan blamed the State Government for not paying money towards railway projects in the State. Railways being on the Union list, the costs for railway schemes have to be borne by the Centre. Whereas 8 percent of the population resides in West Bengal, this year, the Centre had allotted a meager 1.2 percent of the railway budget for West Bengal projects. Under the circumstances, only this State Government had already spend Rs. 25 crores towards various railways projects. Over and above, the State has to pay Rs. 220 crores out of total Rs. 600 crores for the Metro extension project.

The above are some of the false, unjustified, motivated, misleading and contradictory statements of the Union Ministers. When the Rail and General Budgets are yet to be placed in the Parliament, it is not understood, how the Union Ministers could know about the budget proposals and allotments, how they could announce these beforehand? How the ministers belonging to the same Union Cabinet could contradict each other? Are they ignorant about the rules and procedures or they are doing this willfully.