New Delhi, June 20: The Bengal government is formalising longer-term funding plans for special-needs programmes in select districts to avoid charges that New Delhi is being tapped for a one-off bailout.

Officials said chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who today held talks with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee for over two hours, preferred a long-term plan to be able to fulfil the schemes being drawn up for remote and under-privileged districts.

The targeted areas are expected to include Maoist-hit areas, some districts in north Bengal, including Darjeeling, and those near the borders with Bangladesh and Bhutan.

The officials indicated that the state could seek additional central assistance of Rs 47,000 crore for these “special areas” over a four-year period. The proposed amount works out to over Rs 11,000 crore a year and the Centre will have to make up its mind on how much it can spare.

The Centre has provisions to handhold states when they try to help out special-needs in insurgency-hit or remote areas and border districts. The Mamata government appears to be keen to tap this option, which will also dissuade other states from clamouring for similar treatment.

The state government also feels that a one-off arrangement cannot solve its problems and money needs to be spent over three to four years to complete any project started now.

Perhaps keeping in mind possible charges of favouritism, Mamata declined to call the proposed assistance a “special package” and said it was Bengal’s rightful share. “We don’t want any undue advantage. Whatever we deserve should be given to us. The situation in Bengal is horrible and terrible. We want the Centre to give so that we can sustain,” she said.

Mamata laid stress on the need to focus on border districts: “West Bengal’s development is good for Bangladesh, good for Bhutan and Nepal. If Bengal is strong, India’s relationship with Bangladesh and many other countries will emerge strong.”

The Centre is expected to seek her nod to swapping border enclaves with neighbouring Bangladesh. Mamata’s officials are planning to seek a package for the swapped enclaves in which India will have to build fresh infrastructure.

This year, Bengal wants its annual plan to be raised from last year’s Rs 18,000 crore by up to a third. Planning Commission officials said about Rs 22,000 crore — Rs 2,000 crore short of a third but Rs 4,000 crore more than last time —could be offered.

The state government wants the finance ministry to cough up at the earliest Rs 2,000 crore of its share of the incremental income-tax collection from Bengal.

Special audit plan

Mamata said she would seek a “special audit” of the financial mismanagement under the Left.

“Since November, no pension for senior citizens, handicapped persons and widows had been paid… there was an embargo on spending and yet the previous government withdrew and spent Rs 9,000 crore within two months out of the Rs 17,000-crore loan corpus for the whole year,” she said. “A special audit for Bengal is needed. It will not be out of any vindictive attitude. It is needed. The system has totally collapsed,” Mamata said.

Asked whether the special audit would cover the entire 34 years of Left rule, Mamata said the timeframe would be decided by state finance minister Amit Mitra, who has accompanied the chief minister to Delhi.

Sources said Union finance minister Mukherjee as well as Planning Commission officials had already made it clear that help would come but only if Bengal was willing to work to improve its own finances. This will mean making tax administration more efficient, plugging loopholes, raising new taxes and reducing subsidy spending — the last two being unpalatable options.

Mamata had reached Mukherjee’s office 15 minutes ahead of schedule, though she had tried to “kill time” by taking a ride around the India Gate circle.

Mamata, who will meet the Prime Minister, backed the UPA government on the Lokpal bill and took a swipe at some of the social activists. “We are strongly opposed to any kind of corruption. But it cannot be solved through drama,” she said to a question.

Defending the political class, she felt it was unfair to paint all politicians with the same brush. “Politicians sometimes commit blunders but all politicians are not bad,” she said.

Asked if the Lokpal should cover the Prime Minister, Mamata said she would articulate her stand when the time came.