It’s my challenge to make turnaround in Bengal: CM

“The students and youth of Bengal are our future. They will make us proud globally. You should be proud to say you belong to Bengal,” she said.

Stating that Dankuni has a huge potential, Banerjee said that the area was being transformed into an industrial and trade corridor. Industrial infrastructure in the area is being revamped and in the near future it would create huge employment opportunities for the youth.

The CM said that Hooghly district holds potential in agriculture, horticulture, MSME sectors and tourism, adding that the Dankuni-Furfura Sharif railway project was conceived during her tenure as Railway Minister.

Criticising the CPI(M), she said it had hatched a conspiracy by taking a huge debt in its final years in power in the state so that the government that took over would not be able to work. “Despite their(CPI-M’s) conspiracy, we have been able to carry forward many development works,” Banerjee said.

Schemes worth Rs 75 crore have been taken up for the area around Furfura Sharif, while foundation stones were laid for Rs 400-crore worth projects at Arambagh in the district.

Launching a fleet of 19 buses along eight routes in Hooghly district, she said the move aimed at making transport hassle-free for people.

Banerjee inaugurated and laid the foundation of a host of other projects and also distributed cycles to students under ‘Sabuj Sathi’ scheme and land ‘pattas’ (title deed to property) to concerned beneficiaries.

Banerjee said food and religion are matters of individual choice and no one can dictate what one should eat, and asserted that the “biggest” duty of governments is to protect the religious freedom and rights of minorities.

“We are against the Dadri incident, we don’t support it. Who are you to dictate what should one eat... It’s a matter of my choice. If I have the right to eat fish, you have the right to eat meat as well. Whatever you eat, beef or chicken, is your individual choice,” the Chief Minister said.