Kolkata, Feb. 22 -- Ahead of the announcement of the Assembly election schedule, the battle over welfare schemes has intensified in West Bengal, with CPI-M state secretary Mohammed Salim on Sunday taking a sharp swipe at the Trinamul Congress government's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme and promising higher financial assistance for women if the Left returns to power.
Addressing a programme organised by the All India Democratic Women's Association, Salim described Lakshmir Bhandar as a "token appeasement" and a "minor penalty out of looted wealth," alleging that the scheme was aimed at securing votes rather than ensuring genuine empowerment.
He claimed that a Left government would be able to provide substantially higher monthly assistance to women...