Focus on Teesta
After the implementation of the historic land boundary agreement with Bangladesh, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is poised to focus on the Teesta water-sharing deal.
Modi is expected to have talks with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her New Delhi visit next week to work out a checklist for Teesta and take stock of things after the exchange of enclaves. Mamata's strong opposition has made the Teesta deal a non-starter since September 2011.
The primary objective of Mamata's meeting with Modi would be to discuss the central government's financial assistance for rehabilitation of the 979 people who would shift from former Indian enclaves in Bangladesh to India and also for flood-hit areas of West Bengal following Cyclone Komen, said official sources in New Delhi.
Modi is likely to take the opportunity to coax Mamata on the Teesta treaty which has remained stuck due to her strident opposition since the then Indian PM Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in September 2011.
At the end of enclave exchange, 14,000 people in former Bangladeshi enclaves in India have chosen to stay in India while only 979 of the estimated 37,000 residents of former Indian enclaves in Bangladesh opted to switch over to India.
This has given rise to a piquant situation for both Modi and Mamata governments.
As per initial assessments that a much higher number of the 37,000 people would decide to come to India, the Indian home secretary had announced a package of Rs 3,009 crore for West Bengal to foot the bill of their rehabilitation.
However, with the final number being only 979, the Indian finance and home Ministries had reportedly told Mamata government that the actual fund to be given would be much less. This had upset the Mamata government.
But Modi clearly does not want to antagonise Mamata. Accordingly, she has been invited to meet Modi on August 11-12 so that the two leaders can work out a financial support package to take care of infrastructure for the returnees from former Indian enclaves as well as irrigation support for West Bengal required for pushing through the Teesta deal, said the sources.
As part of Modi government's bid to keep Mamata in good humour for the Teesta accord, the Indian home ministry yesterday gave a statement denying that there had been any cut in central government's fund allocation in relation to transfer of enclaves.
Comments