North Bengal Development Dept completes tender process for projects worth Rs 700 cr

Darjeeling: The North Bengal Development Department (NBDD) has completed the tender process for projects amounting to Rs 700 crore. Besides this, tenders for projects amounting to Rs 300 crore are also scheduled to be completed by March.

"With each passing year, the allocation of funds to this department is being increased by the state government. This is a clear indication of the state's focus on North Bengal," stated Rabindranath Ghosh, minister in charge of North Bengal Development department.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee always stresses on North Bengal and reiterates her government's commitment towards the development of this region. The above tenders will facilitate around 300 development projects. Earlier, meetings were held where the District Magistrates of the eight districts of North Bengal were directed to ensure that the projects are speedily completed without compromising on the quality of work.

"Completion of tender processes ensures timely completion of development works as well. We are also ensuring that the ongoing projects are in no way halted in between. For this, we have increased skilled manpower specially engineers. We are also engaging retired engineers so that there is no shortage," added the minister.

In 2011, the North Bengal Development Department came into existence with an allotment of Rs. 180 crore. The present allocation of fund is to the tune of Rs. 660 crore. The funds are used to construct roads, bridges, school, colleges, community halls and haats (market places.).

In Cooch Behar, the department has taken up a number of projects. In Malda, a bridge is under construction at a cost of Rs 132 crore. "We have created committees in each district to ensure even distribution of projects in all the districts of North Bengal," stated Ghosh. Taking a step further, each block of North Bengal will be allotted Rs 2 crore for development projects from the NBDD.

"With this amount the blocks can take up development projects within an upper-cost limit of Rs 30,000," informed the minister. The number of projects being taken up by the department is steadily on the rise.

"Owing to this we are recruiting 20 sub-assistant engineers," Ghosh added.