Industrial parks to come up at Cooch Behar, S Dinajpur dists

Darjeeling/Balurghat: Residents of Cooch Behar hailed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's bouquet of development projects for the district. On Monday, the Chief Minister announced that an Industrial and Logistic park with Rs 250 crore investment will come up at Mekhliganj town in Cooch Behar.

On the same day, the Chief Minister also inaugurated another development project from Netaji Indoor Stadium through a video conference for Balurghat in South Dinajpur district. As part of the project, a modern Industrial Park will be built in Balurghat's Rainagar.

Meanwhile, residents of Cooch Behar lauded the initiatives undertaken by the Chief Minister for the region. "The Mamata Banerjee-led government has done a lot for this region. She recently inaugurated the Joyee Bridge that was a long-standing demand of the people in Mekliganj and Haldibari. The Industrial and Logistic Park will come up on 300 acres on the banks of the river Teesta in Mekliganj, adjacent to the headquarters of the Narayani Battalion of the West Bengal police. Following the announcement made by the Chief Minister about this special battalion, the foundation stone for the headquarters was laid," stated Paresh Chandra Adhikari, Chairman of Changrabandha Development Board.

In future, tea and jute along with other food processing industries will be set up in the industrial and logistic park. "People from this region go to other states to work. The industrial and logistic park will end this exodus. This park will generate 15,000 direct and 45,000 indirect employment. It will change the face of Mekhliganj," claimed Adhikari.

Another industrial park will be set up at Phulbari, Jalpaiguri with Rs 200 crore outlay. The Chief Minister also announced a common facility centre for 1500 Bhawaiya folk artistes and a common production centre for Mekhla Chadar (traditional dress) in Cooch Behar. Similarly, the state government will invest Rs 9 crore for building the industrial park—spread over 6.5 acres—at Rainagar with 11 units of different industries including textile, small-scale and power. The remaining funds worth Rs 41 crore will be invested from the private sector.

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced the project for the people of South Dinajpur. It is a megaproject. About 7,000 people will get absorbed here," said District Magistrate, Nikhil Nirmal. It may be mentioned that the same initiative was taken up by the then Left government for the district. But, they never implemented the same. "It is for the first time when the initiative to establish a full-fledged industry has been taken by the Chief Minister. There is no big industry in the district. Many unemployed youths will get jobs here," said Biplab Mitra, TMC district Chairman of South Dinajpur.