Kolkata, February 24 Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary, on Tuesday dismissed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegation of the Centre's negligence towards the state as "mere rhetoric".
Speaking during a visit to the Central Staff Training and Research Institute (CSDR) here to review the roadmap for the skill ecosystem, Chaudhary addressed a political row over state renaming.
Banerjee, earlier in the day, expressed dissatisfaction that West Bengal's proposal for a name change has remained pending with the Centre for a long time, even as the Union Cabinet approved Kerala's renaming proposal.
"Let her not fret about Bengal," Chaudhary said, suggesting that the chief minister should welcome the development concerning Kerala rather than criticise the Centre.
He rejected her repeated allegations that the BJP-led government at the Centre is "anti-Bengal", asserting that such claims are not supported by facts.
"The central government is working day and night for the betterment and development of West Bengal," he said, adding that in India's federal structure, constitutional values are paramount and every department, including the Prime Minister's Office, is focused on grassroots development in the state.
During his visit, the minister reviewed plans for revitalising industrial training institutes (ITIs) in West Bengal and across the country. He said the Centre is integrating emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, into the skill development ecosystem to align with Industry 4.0 and 5.0 requirements.
Chaudhary also appealed to voters in the state to actively participate in the democratic process and not be influenced by any "atmosphere of fear".
"I would appeal to the voters to definitely come forward and participate in the process," he said, assuring that their constitutional and voting rights are secure.
The minister criticised the state government's refusal to implement the National Education Policy (NEP), terming it a "highly politicised" decision.
Chaudhary warned that political decisions contrary to national policies could adversely impact the state's youth. He said employability, quality of education and integration with the global job market would suffer if West Bengal does not align with national standards.
Calling for better governance, he said that "apart from politics, some good decisions should be taken" in the interest of the people, especially the younger generation.
