Kolkata, Jun 18 (PTI) The West Bengal government has taken up a project to prepare a database of waterbodies in the state to find out which of those require dredging, Irrigation Minister Manas Bhuniya said on Wednesday.

Replying to a question by TMC MLA Kalipada Mondal, the minister said the Centre is yet to release "a single paisa" for the state irrigation department for dredging and digging of canals and other water bodies which had been affected by siltation.

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"Under the guidance of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, we have undertaken a unique project to prepare a database of all canals and waterbodies to find out how many of them had been affected by siltation. This is being done constituency-wise and won't incur much expenses from the state exchequer," Bhuniya added.

Bhuniya suggested a debate be held in the House on the issue of "discrimination" by the Centre for the state's projects.

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Even allocation for the family and child welfare department is being taken away by the Centre, he alleged.

Speaker Biman Banerjee said such debates usually take place in the budget session.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)