Anara (West Bengal), Oct 31 (IANS) Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Sunday joined issue with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on the issue of providing employment and claimed that there would be a big flow of jobs in the state over the next two-three years.
Banerjee’s comment came a day after Bhattacharjee levelled criticism that the railway minister had failed to provide ‘a single job’ in her department in the state.
She was addressing a railway programme at Anara area in Purulia district.
Without mentioning Bhattacharjee, Banerjee attacked him saying: ‘Some people are talking about the railways not providing jobs. The sort of projects we have undertaken, there will be a big flow of jobs in the state in the next two-three years.’
In an obvious reference to the Bhattacharjee-led Left Front government, the railway minister said: ‘You were in power for 34 years. How many jobs have you provided? I control only one department. But one can see the sort of development we are ushering in.’
‘We are creating a lot of employment opportunities. Those passing comments should clarify how many government jobs they can provide,’ she said.
Banerjee said the process to fill in the vacancies in the railway department has started. ‘In railway jobs, there are various kinds of quota, including for the handicap and ex-servicemen. All the formalities are under process,’ said Banerjee.
