Development boards in Hills build over 11k homes, 4k toilets

Fourteen Development boards set up in the Hills for comprehensive improvement in the area have constructed more than 11,000 houses and 4,000 toilets in the region.

Sanjay Thade, principal secretary, Backward Classes Welfare department (BCW) visited the area and held meetings with senior district officials and members of the boards. He has submitted a report to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

It may be mentioned that after coming to power in 2011, Banerjee gave special stress on the development of the Hills and set up boards for each community for their total development. She visited Darjeeling several times to oversee development and win the confidence of people.

A major step taken to save the local language and dialects from extinction is the setting up of 269 night schools to teach and preserve Lepcha, Limbu and Damai dialects.

The boards were requested to preserve the unique heritage especially script and language.

They were encouraged to publish books, magazines and journals in their own language.

Under the Chief Minister's instructions, special attention has been taken to promote local folk culture and support young musicians to take up folk to save the old and rare art. The folk artistes are receiving stipend by the state government. As a result, young musicians are showing special interest in learning folk music.

Twenty mountaineers have been given Rs 1 lakh each by the Sherpa Board. The initiative was taken by the Chief Minister to felicitate the mountaineers who had carried out several expeditions including those to Mount Everest.

Kushank Sherpa who had carried out the Mount Everest expedition thrice was felicitated.

A scheme has been taken to train 50 students as sherpas in the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.

The course will help them to work as sherpas in expeditions and earn a decent livelihood.

All bfoards were requested to plant 50,000 saplings in the vicinity of their villages.

The boards will submit their requirements to the Tribal development department / Backward Class Welfare department by March 31 so that the Forest department can raise them in the nurseries in time.

The boards have been asked to maintain transparency in the accounts and maintain the books carefully.

Due to formation of Kalimpong district, the Lepcha, Limbu, Damai, Sarki, Mangar, Tamang and Bhujel boards having headquarters at Kalimpong will have to be brought under the purview of Kalimpong treasury instead of Darjeeling treasury for release of grants in aid.