Changrabandha Development Board formed for Cooch Behar

The state government has formed Changrabandha Development Board to bring an overall development of the area in Cooch Behar that stands quite important in terms of the international trade with Bangladesh.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in Nabanna on Wednesday that Changrabandha Development Board will come up under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar. It may be mentioned that representatives of Changrabandha Exporters’ Association on Wednesday met the Chief Minister in Nabanna. They talked about all the existing problems in the area, mainly the poor infrastructure that restricts the growth in trade.

The trade centre had initiated functioning in 1990, but no proper initiatives were taken for development of the area. Jayram Ramesh had visited the place when he was the minister of state for industry and commerce and had announced a project at a cost of 68 crore to built necessary infrastructure. But for certain reason nothing had taken place and the exporters need to face problem everyday due to poor infrastructure.

Representatives of the association requested to bring BSF and customs under one umbrella so that traders do not face much problem. They have also urged for rest rooms with all necessary infrastructure. The development board will function for eight gram panchayats and one municipality.

Meanwhile, the state government has decided on Wednesday in Cabinet meeting to wind up three sick industries – Neo Pipes and Tubes Company Limited, National Iron Limited and Lily Products Limited. At the same time decision has been taken for disinvestment of Durgapur Chemicals Limited, which is also a sick unit.

There are total six employees in all the four sick units including two of Durgapur Chemicals. The employees, however, has nothing to worry as they will be posted somewhere else.

In Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting Chief Minister has also directed to take necessary steps to provide schedule caste and schedule tribe certificates to around 15,000 residents of the 91 enclaves those came under India.

She has also directed that people’s representatives to stay in the flood prone areas and at the same time to create awareness on how to present vector borne diseases. Sources said that the next Cabinet meeting will be on September 1 before she leaves for Rome.