30 Years of Left Front Rule in West Bengal: A Development Report CardApril 5, 2009

30 Years of Left Front Rule in West Bengal: A Development Report CardApril 5, 2009
Table of Contents
1. Health and Nutrition. 3Even after 30 years of Left rule, West Bengal has very high levels of hunger and malnutrition when compared to the rest of India.
2. Education.. 5
Even after 30 years of Left rule, West Bengal is failing to keep children in school and to ensure learning among them.
3. Employment Generation.. 7
Even after 30 years of Left rule, negligible new employment is being created in West Bengal, even as other states are forging ahead.
4. Poverty. 8
Even after 30 years of Left rule, most of West Bengal's districts are among the poorest in India. It also has the ominous distinction of having India's poorest district.
5. Income Growth.. 9
Even after 30 years of Left rule, West Bengal has very high levels of hunger and malnutrition when compared to the rest of India.
6. Law and Order. 10
After 30 years of Left rule, the ranking of West Bengal among Indian states in terms of per capita income has slid dramatically.
7. Basic Services and Infrastructure.. 11
Even after 30 years of Left rule, West Bengal has under-invested in protecting its citizens. The incidence of heinous crimes in West Bengal is disproportionately high when compared to other states of India.
8. Welfare of Backward Classes. 12
Even after 30 years of Left rule, the Left government has failed to provide access to essential services and basic infrastructure to the people of West Bengal.



1. Health & Nutrition
Even after 30 years of Left rule, West Bengal has very high levels of hunger and malnutrition when compared to the rest of India.

· Hunger
West Bengal has the highest rate of hunger in rural households among major Indian states.
o This is validated in a recent Study led by Jean Dreze and Angus Deaton (see below).

· Malnutrition of Women
o Married women in West Bengal, on average, have a lower body-mass index than the average Indian woman, suggesting greater undernourishment. Married women in West Bengal also have a greater likelihood of suffering from anemia than the average Indian woman.
o This data is from the West Bengal government’s own Human Development Report.


· Not spending Central Government Funds on HealthcareWest Bengal government has failed to fully and effectively spend the money released to it by the Central government, year after year.

· Failure to spend on urban health services: Comptroller & Auditor General of India, Audit Report (Civil), West Bengal for the Year 2006-2007 notes that: “During 2002-2007, the (West Bengal government’s) department could not spend the budgeted funds of Rs 357.13 crore for urban health services. Further, unutilised funds of Rs 1.50 crore remained parked in the personal ledger accounts of the Superintendents of two hospitals for over seven years.”

2. Education
Even after 30 years of Left rule, West Bengal is failing to keep children in school and to ensure learning among them.

· Drop-out Rates
West Bengal has the second highest school dropout rate among major states of India.

· Learning of Children

The level of learning of children in rural West Bengal schools is, on average, lower than most other states of India.

· Poor Implementation of Mid-Day Meal Scheme
The Comptroller & Auditor General of India, Performance Audit Report of the National Programme for Nutritional Support to Primary Education (Midday Meal Scheme), 2008 notes that:
o “In test checked schools, cooked meals were not served for 37 per cent of the targeted 78,114 school-days due to delayed implementation of the programme, short receipt of rice, cooking cost, etc.”
o Rs. 4.82 crore was claimed in excess of the actual spend for food grain transportation.
o Pucca kitchen sheds were not available in 71 per cent of the schools.
o Drinking water was not available in 29 per cent of the schools. Gas stoves were not available in 99 percent of the schools.

3. Employment Generation
After 30 years of Left rule, negligible new employment is being created in West Bengal, even as other states are forging ahead.

· Employment growth
o Employment growth outside agriculture in West Bengal is way behind that of other comparable states and also behind the national average.
o Employment growth has practically come to a halt in urban areas.
· National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Implementation
o While it complains about lack of support from the central government, the West Bengal government is failing to utilize funds allocated to it by the Centre to implement the scheme.
§ According to the CAG of India Performance Audit in 2008, the West Bengal government spent only 66.6% of the funds made available for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in 2006-07.
o There is over-reporting of the implementation of the scheme, the actual implementation is much lower. According to a CAG of India Performance Audit in 2008:
§ Excess reporting of 6.06 lakh man days of cumulative employment generation was noticed just in Purulia district alone.
§ Excess reporting of funds utilization of Rs. 0.99 crore was noticed in both Medinipur and Purulia districts.

4. Poverty
Even after 30 years of Left rule, most of West Bengal’s districts are among the poorest in India. It also has the ominous distinction of having India’s poorest district.
· 14 out of West Bengal’s 18 districts (i.e. 78% of the districts) are among the 100 poorest districts in India.
· The poorest district in India is Murshidabad in West Bengal, where 56% of the people live in abject poverty. An astonishing 1.47% of India’s rural poor live in this one district alone.
Source: 2009 Study by Indian Statistical Institute for the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation; based on analysis of NSS Data

5. Income Growth
After 30 years of Left rule, the ranking of West Bengal among Indian states in terms of per capita income has slid dramatically.
· West Bengal has gone from having the second position in per capita income among Indian states in 1960/61 to the ninth position in 2004/05.
Ranking of Indian States by Per Capita Income

1960/61
1980/81
2004/05
Maharashtra
1
2
2
West Bengal
2
5
9
Punjab
3
1
3
Gujarat
4
4
4
Tamil Nadu
5
8
6
Haryana
6
3
1
Assam
7
12
10
Karnataka
8
6
7
Rajasthan
9
14
11
Andhra Pradesh
10
9
8
Kerala
11
7
5
Madhya Pradesh
12
10
13
Orissa
13
11
12
Uttar Pradesh
14
13
14
Bihar
15
15
15
Source: Central Statistical Organization (CSO)

6. Law & Order
Even after 30 years of Left rule, West Bengal has under-invested in protecting its citizens. The incidence of heinous crimes in West Bengal is disproportionately high when compared to other states of India.
· Police Force
West Bengal has under-invested in protecting its citizens – it has fewer policemen per capita than the all-India average.

· Incidence of heinous crimes
The incidence of heinous crimes is much higher than the incidence in other comparable states and the all-India average.

7. Basic Services and Infrastructure
Even after 30 years of Left rule, the Left government has failed to provide access to essential services and basic infrastructure to the people of West Bengal.
· Availability of Drinking Water
Only a quarter of households in West Bengal have access to safe drinking water, which is far less than other comparable states.


· Road connectivity
Less than half the habitations in West Bengal are connected by pucca roads, which is far less than other comparable states.


8. Welfare of Backward Classes
Even after 30 years of Left rule, the Left government has failed to look after the interests of the weaker sections of West Bengal, especially SC/ST groups.
Observations made in the Comptroller & Auditor General of India Report, “Audit Report (Civil) for the year ended 31 March 2007”
· During 2001-2006, against a budget of Rs 1.43 crores for pre-matric scholarships, only Rs 0.43 crore (30 per cent) were granted and paid to SC/ST students.
· In seven test-checked districts, 25,000 SC and 4000 ST students were deprived of post-matric scholarships due to non-release of required funds. Further, over 74,000 students faced a delay of between 12 – 22 months in receiving their scholarships in the seven districts surveyed.
· Against the state’s budgeted provision of Rs 92.37 crores for payment of book grants, the concerned state government department released only Rs 77.80 crores, thus depriving 14.15 lakh students of the benefits of the scheme.
· As of March 2006, construction of two central hostels for SC/ST students was not started due to land dispute and construction of seven more hostels remained incomplete due to delayed selection of sites and delayed release of funds. Further, eight additional hostels remained vacant for want of matrons, superintendents and other staff and required basic infrastructure facilities. Shockingly, two of the hostels were being used as Government offices and residences.
· In the absence of adequate inspection, hostel grants were paid to the school authorities on the basis of sanctioned strength of boarders, instead of actual number of students accommodated therein. As a result, several instances of excess payment of hostel grants aggregating Rs 39.35 lakh were noticed in the audit.

Infighting, corruption highlight of LDF rule: Rahul Gandhi

Launching the Lok Sabha poll campaign of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday (March 5) attacked the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) state government saying it had failed to implement “pro-people programmes due to infighting and corruption”. Addressing the final day of the 25-day-long ‘Save Kerala March’ led by KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala at Sanghumugham beach near here, Gandhi said LDF had failed to deliver the goods despite the UPA at the Centre providing schemes totaling Rs 40,000 crore to the state. In sharp contrast, UPA had been able to prove that there was no contradiction between achieving growth and helping the poor. “In fact, when there is inclusive growth, the growth can be faster,” he said. Expressing concern over the fallout on thousands of Keralites working in the Gulf due to global downturn, he asked party leaders to work out a package to help the returnees. He said since his take over of youth and student outfits of the party, plans had been put in place to ensure greater role for youth in politics and strengthening internal democracy in Youth Congress and NSUI. Hailing Kerala’s social and communal harmony, Gandhi said both the nation and the Congress had learnt many lessons from the state.

Stock market bad for aam aadmi, good for CPIM

For CPM, stock mkt evil for 'aam admi', great for partyNew Delhi, October 1 An article by CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat last week came down heavily on the new pension scheme of the Government saying it would siphon off thousands of crores earned by employees to the speculative stockmarket with no assured returns. The argument: the stockmarket, capitalism’s seamy showcase, has to be avoided. But not when it comes to the CPM’s own cash reserve. While the party has opened an amusement park and is planning to enter the hotel business, it has also invested a substantial amount of its income in mutual funds that invest in stocks. So, even comrades cannot resist the lure of better returns. Income tax returns filed by the party from 2002 to 2006 show it has earned a substantial amount from interest and dividends: Rs 1.88 crore (2002), Rs 1.17 crore (2003), Rs 2.10 crore (2004), Rs 2.15 crore (2005) and Rs 1.92 crore (2006). “We have invested in mutual funds because we get better returns than banks. But we have only invested in public sector funds like the Unit Trust of India,” senior Politburo member M K Pandhe told 'The Indian Express'. He declined to mention what share of the income came from mutual funds. Doesn’t matter that in the portfolio of UTI Equity Fund, for example, PSUs are not exactly at the top. As of July 31, 2008, the fund’s portfolio included Reliance Industries, Glaxosmithkline, Reliance Communications, Tata Tea, TCS, Infosys and Shoppers Stop. Isn’t this doublespeak? “Banks also invest in stock markets. How can we stop that? As long as we are working in a capitalist system, we will have to be part of the system,” Pandhe said.Stock market bad for aam aadmi, good for CPIMAN article by CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat last week came down heavily on the new pension scheme of the Government, saying it would lead to thousands of crores of rupees of the employees going into the speculative stock market. His concern was that no regulatory authority can stop wild fluctuations in stock markets and the scheme does not assure a minimum return to employees. The party had adopted a similar line when the Government decided to hand over the management of the Employees Provident Fund to private mutual fund (MF) companies. The argument: stock market is speculative. But while the CPI(M) has a dislike for the speculative stock markets, it seems to have no ideological qualms in taking the MF route to get better returns for its own cash reserve. While the party has opened an amusement park and is planning to enter into hotel business, it has also invested a substantial amount of its income in MFs, which ultimately goes into the stock markets. It seems even the comrades cannot resist the lure of better returns. The income tax returns filed by the CPI(M) from 2002 to 2006 shows it has earned a substantial amount from interests and dividends. A break-up of income that party got from interests and dividends as per the records filed by it — Rs1.88 crore (2002), Rs 1.17 crore (2003), Rs 2.10 crore (2004), Rs 2.15 crore (2005) and Rs 1.92 crore (2006). “We have invested in mu tual funds because we get better returns than banks. But we have only invested in public sector PSUs like the Unit Trust of India,” confirms Politburo member M K Pandhe. However, it is not clear how much the party has invested in MFs. But then the party hates stock markets, doesn’t it? “Banks also invest in stock markets. How can we stop that? As long as we are working in a capitalist system, one will have to be part of the system,” Pandhe told The Indian Express. “When the Industrial Disputes Act was proposed, we opposed it. We had observed the day the Bill was passed as black day. But once it came into force, when it became the law of the land, we adhere to it. We have to go by the law,” he added drawing a parallel. According to the returns filed, the CPI(M)’s total earnings in 2006 was Rs 41.60 crore, a 150 per cent increase from its income four years ago. The party’s income was Rs 20.06 crore in 2002. The majority of the CPI(M)’s income comes from voluntary contributions and levy paid by party leaders. The party received Rs 17.90 crore in voluntary contributions and Rs 16.77 crore in levy in 2006. All party MPs, MLAs, ministers and leaders have to pay levy, a portion of the salary they earn. Marxists tracking Sensex makes FM happyThe CPI(M), which showed concern over the crash in the stock market, was today cornered in the Rajya Sabha by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who said he was happy that the Marxists were keenly tracking the Sensex."I am glad you are looking at the stock market. There is a substantial CPI(M) investment in the stock market," Chidambaram said replying to the debate on Appropriation Bill.Chidambaram had a dig at the Left party members when one of them asked him why the stock market was melting if the fundamentals of the economy are strong.In a lighter vein, the Finance Minister said he knew the kind of money that the CPI(M) had made from the share market. "You made Rs 1.9 crore," Chidambaram said adding, he was happy for that.When Sitaram Yechury asked Chidambaram to give the "devil (Left) its due" for saving the country from the global financial turmoil, the Finance Minister said the Congress-led UPA government had neither embraced capitalism nor communism."We have never embraced capitalism nor communism. Congress party and the UPA have a particular philosophy which would be in tune with changing times," he said.The House witnessed friendly duel between Chidambaram and Yechury over how the erstwhile Left supporters of the UPA had allowed the government to go ahead with NTPC disinvestment while blocking the similar moves for BHEL.The government had disinvested close to ten per cent in NTPC and wanted other PSUs to follow the suit.Chidambaram said the "same devil" supported the government's move to disinvest in NTPC but not in BHEL.The Finance Minister also took potshots at Yechury saying that the CPI(M) leader gave an impression as if he was running for the US Presidential elections."I thought he (Yechury) was running as the third candidate in US elections. He might have become President of US and declare America as a Marxist country," Chidambaram said evoking laughter in the House

Congress opens internet kiosks, launches e-campaign in the country

As the general elections approaching fast, the Congress party has opened internet kiosks launching e-campaign in Gujarat to attract young voters.The kiosks have laptops to show the achievements of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).These kiosks will be installed across various public places like malls, restaurants where they are bound to attract the youth and will fill them on the successes of UPA through audio-visual presentations.Around one-and-half-year has gone into planning and creating these kiosks, which will also allow the users, an access to free internet usage for 20 minutes along with highlights of the schemes and achievements of the UPA vis-'-vis its opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)."This time, we thought of coming up with some unique project to spread the message of Congress easily in a way which can attract youth easily. So, we designed this e-publicity campaign," said Gunvant Dave, Managing Director, Wilson Print City Pvt. Ltd.The campaign has special features using patented technology. It showcases the achievement along with links to send suggestions and messages to General Secretary of Congress, Rahul Gandhi and various Congress websites.The campaign has already managed to find favour amongst the net-savvy youngsters who find it an easy and convenient way to get acquainted with the party."This is a very affective medium to attract youngsters. We don't get time from office work to spare for other things. This is a good initiative taken by the party to gain votes of youth," said Deepa Ravani, a young professional. By Ami Sharma (ANI)

No Advani, Maya; SP prefers Manmohan as PM

Notwithstanding its failure to reach a seat-sharing agreement with Congress, Samajwadi Party said it would support Manmohan Singh for the Prime Ministership and ruled out his party joining the Third Front which will have CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat at its helm.
"Out of L K Advani (of NDA), Mayawati (of BSP) and Manmohan Singh, we prefer Manmohan Singh," Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh told reporters here when asked whom his party would support for Prime Ministership as there are several aspirants.
Taking a swipe at LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and BSP chief Mayawati who are aspiring to be the Prime Minister, Amar Singh said, "Pradhan mantri ki kursi ke liye swayamwar ho raha hai aur log saj dhaj ke tuktuki lagake baithe hain (the best suitable groom is being chosen for the PM's chair and people attired in best dresses are eyeing it)."
Talking about the failure of SP and Congress to forge a seat-sharing alliance, Amar Singh said, "We may not have seat-sharing arrangement with it (Congress), we have ideological understanding with Congress, which is more important than seat-sharing."

He made it clear that after the elections, SP would be with a "secular" coalition led by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

How the CPM might de-nuke India

C. Rajamohan
That the CPM leadership has strongly defended its unsuccessful attempt at pulling down the UPA Government on the question of the Indo-US nuclear deal is no surprise. The real debate within the party on the controversial decision to withdraw support to the Manmohan Singh Government last year is likely to take place only after the elections.
If the CPM does well and forges a Third Front government, its General Secretary Prakash Karat would be hailed as a hero. If it loses ground in both Bengal and Kerala and becomes marginal to the balance of power in the next Lok Sabha, Karat's decisions are bound to be questioned.
The CPM manifesto, released on Monday, presents a reheated version of its ideological tirade against the Indo-US civil nuclear initiative.
It makes no mention, however, of the latest nuclear agreements that India has signed with France and Russia. That Paris and Moscow would not have resumed nuclear exports to India without the deal with Washington is, of course, a factoid that the CPM would want to simply ignore.
Buried in its ideological tirade against the Indo-US partnership in CPM's manifesto is a little nuclear nugget that deserves wider debate.
The CPM says it will press the next Government to strive for a ‘denuclearised environment in South Asia’!
That New Delhi must get rid of its nuclear weapons in a purely South Asian framework is a proposition that no mainstream Indian political formation has ever supported. The national consensus has always been in favour of total elimination of nuclear weapons in a non-discriminatory global framework. Put simply, India will not give up its nuclear weapons so long as China, US and other great powers have them.
Those who know the CPM will not be shocked to find that the party wants to perpetuate a permanent nuclear imbalance between China and India. To its credit, the CPM has been consistent in its refusal to criticise the Chinese nuclear weapons programme, even when it denounced India's nuclear tests in May 1998.
Less known, however, is the fact that CPM's fantasy for regional nuclear disarmament in South Asia is shared fully by the American non-proliferation hawks who want to 'cap, roll back and eliminate' India's nuclear weapons programme. When the 'non-pro' lobby settles down in the Obama Administration, it knows whom to call on in the putative Third Front to revive their old anti-India nuclear agenda -- the CPM.
(C. Raja Mohan is a Professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)

CONGRESS-TRINAMUL ALLIANCE IN W BENGAL; CPIM'S NIGHTMARE

A trend that began with the panchayat polls in May 2008, and persisted through the later Nandigram and Sujapur assembly bypolls, was further extended by Sunday’s bypoll result from Bishnupur (West): that the CPM is in decline in rural West Bengal. Moreover, since the Nandigram bypoll, it seems a united opposition will increasingly rob the Left Front of the sleep of the complacent. Soon after the Trinamool’s victory in the Bishnupur bypoll, the Congress and Mamata Banerjee formally announced that they would jointly contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The announcement ended weeks of speculation, and made the Bengal picture clearer for the general elections. Pranab Mukherjee’s camaraderie with Banerjee late on Sunday night, coupled with the Bishnupur defeat, has duly concerned Alimuddin Street, where state CPM leaders admitted that the loss indicated how the party has failed to connect with the voters they had lost during the panchayat polls last year. The CPM certainly appears to be on the back foot in rural Bengal although Banerjee’s visions of an endgame for the CPM may be premature.

To be effective alliances must address both electoral arithmetic and political coherence. Part, but not all, of the reason why the Trinamool won in Bishnupur was the Congress’s withdrawal of its candidate to avoid a split of the anti-Left vote. That, again, is the logic according to which the two parties seem to be working for the general elections. After all, External Affairs Minister Mukherjee, who is also the Bengal Congress chief, has made no secret of his distaste for the kind of politics that has held the state’s development to ransom — symbolised by Singur and Nandigram. In fact, his concurrence with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on that issue had almost jeopardised an alliance with the Trinamool.
Now, as Bhattacharjee warns his party to get its act together, the anti-Left alliance’s task has only just
begun. It would need to work out the kind of politics it wants to project. It would be disastrous for Bengal if the perceived discontent among rural voters is exploited to reverse the industrialisation project. Further, both alliance partners would know that aggregate discontent doesn’t automatically translate into aggregate votes. Meanwhile, the Trinamool-Congress tie-up puts in place another piece in the
national electoral puzzle. It’s to be seen now how this piece impacts the Lok Sabha polls and how it’s factored into post-poll arrangements.