No mutton, tiger prawns for Mamata Banerjee ministers at Nabanna, thanks to austerity

Happy faces may not have been a common sight at Nabanna, the Bengal secretariat, yesterday as ministers and officials sat for lunch and found an option of paneer and rohu (rui) fish.

Now the question is, why were the babus denied pattha'r mangsho (mutton) and bagda chingri (tiger prawns)?

Well, this could be a result of the cut-down West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was planning to reserve public money.

A report on The Times of India says the Mamata



government is heading for economic austerity "without compromising on public-oriented projects".

The state government has issued a list of economy measures that the bureaucrats are now expected to follow. It includes pointers about reducing expenditure on public-funded trips, cars, ACs, snacks at meetings, decoration for events, etc.

Purchase of news cars and business class flights have gone to the 'Do Not' list, while remote video conferences and car pooling have been encouraged.