Thrust on improving connectivity in Maoist-affected districts With a thrust on improving connectivity in the three Maoist activity-affected districts of West Bengal, the Centre on Friday cleared road projects worth Rs.3,432 crore. The clearance was given by the Empowered Committee of the Prime Minister’s Grameen Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), which met on Friday morning to consider proposals for new connectivity and upgrades from West Bengal. Jairam writes to Mamata Soon after, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh sent a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying the United Progressive Alliance government’s deep commitment to the welfare of the people of West Bengal was evident. “In one year’s time, West Bengal would have got from PMGSY virtually what it has received in the last 10 years,” he wrote. Mr. Ramesh’s missive needs to be seen in the background of the recent spat between Ms. Banerjee and the Union Minister over what she saw as an inappropriate letter from him. The Union Minister had while informing the Chief Minister about the release of funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme said the funds’ release reflected how sensitive the “brain-dead government in Delhi” is to the needs of the people of West Bengal. The allusion was to a comment made about the UPA government by Ms. Banerjee. She, however, took offence to Mr. Ramesh’s tenor saying that his remark was “vindictive, unethical and unconstitutional”. This added another dimension to the embittered relation between the former UPA partners. In his latest letter to Ms. Banerjee, Mr. Ramesh said the proposals cleared on Friday will pave the way for establishing connectivity in 18 districts, of which 50 per cent will be in the three Left Wing Extremism-affected districts of Purulia, Bankura and Paschim Medinipur. Upgrade projects Additionally, upgrade projects on 347 roads have also been cleared. The Minister noted that while West Bengal had constructed about 12,435 km roads under the PMGSY in the last decade, in the current year it is set to get sanction for over 13,000 km, of which a significant portion will help improve connectivity in Jangalmahal area.