Barasat, April 10 Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday that fish production in West Bengal has significantly increased during her tenure, as she sought to rebut Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion that the state lags in aquaculture.
Banerjee was addressing an election rally in this North 24 Parganas district town in support of TMC candidates.
"Modi Babu said that more fish is produced in Bihar than in Bengal, and that this fish is sold to other states; this must be the case because the people in Bihar are not allowed to eat fish," the TMC chief alleged.
In his attempt to counter Banerjee, who has been claiming that the BJP would impose restrictions on eating fish if it wins the assembly elections, Modi said in an election rally in the state on Thursday that the TMC government has failed to match fish production with the high demand in West Bengal.
Banerjee said that fish production in the state increased by 1.72 lakh metric tonnes to 23.74 lakh metric tonnes during the TMC regime, asserting that the state leads in fish production.
"Fish production in saltwater stands at 1.98 lakh metric tonnes," she said, claiming that the earnings of the fishermen have also increased.
"Fish imports from other states have decreased from 1.12 lakh metric tonnes to 1.02 lakh metric tonnes during our government's tenure," the CM said.
Modi had said that although Bengal has high demand for fish, the state imports it from other states.
"In the last 15 years, the TMC government has taken no worthwhile steps to enhance supply and achieve self-sufficiency in fish production," he said at the election rally on Thursday.
The PM promised the people of West Bengal that the BJP would make the state self-sufficient in fisheries and the seafood sector, while highlighting that the Centre has set up a dedicated ministry for the welfare of fishermen and allocated a record budget for them.
At Friday's poll rally, Banerjee said that West Bengal also sends fish to other states.
Fish exports to other states exceeded imports by 76,000 tonnes, she said.
"Exports of fish to other countries stood at 1.45 lakh metric tonnes," the chief minister said.
Banerjee added that 90 per cent of West Bengal's egg requirement is produced within the state.
Elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held in two phases – on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.