Student unions must be & will be... apolitical: CM

Debra (West Midnapore): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said there will soon be electoral reforms in colleges across the state which will dissociate politics from union activities. Speaking during the administrative review meeting at Midnapore police line, the Chief Minister sent a strong message and said it will be an apolitical students' union and the government would not allow any chaos in colleges.

"The state government is soon going to implement the electoral reforms in colleges. The college authorities will be informed about the new law shortly," Banerjee added.

The move was initiated to check violent student politics which had existed in the colleges since the time of the erstwhile Left Front regime. Once the new law is implemented, the students' council will be held without any political flavour.

The Chief Minister had already approved a blueprint for student election reforms designed to make the campuses free from violence by introducing a model where contestants cannot display any flags or festoon of any political party.

A teacher of the college would be appointed as a president who will oversee the functions of the general secretary of the students' council. There will be a post for the treasurer which will be filled up by another teacher of the college who will monitor the funds of the students' body.

While taking a stock of various development works in the district, the Chief Minister expressed her dissatisfaction over the construction of rural roads. She also reminded that her government would not allow any delay regarding the same.

She instructed the officials to blacklist the contractors who were unnecessarily delaying the projects. She also suggested that the young contractors may be enlisted to carry out the jobs. There should not be any delay in any of the developmental projects in the state, she added.

Banerjee had also been vocal against the Centre for its step-motherly attitude towards the state. She alleged that the Centre has not yet sanctioned the Ghatal Master Plan and not even provided funds for Keleghai project. She also maintained that her party MPs would raise protests in Parliament regarding the same.

After hearing complaints about farmers being denied bank loans, the Chief Minister asked Chief Secretary Malay De to take up the issue. She also asked for an increase in the upward credit limit for the farmers under the Kisan Credit Card scheme.

During the administrative review meeting, she also directed the police administration to be alert and emphasised a better coordination between the police and the administrative departments. Ahead of Ram Navami, the police officers were asked to carry out strict vigil so that none could trigger trouble.

She even asked the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital authorities to engage 50 persons who would keep the hospital campus clean. The district health officials were also instructed to keep an eye on the rural hospitals.

Banerjee also proposed to set up a cold storage at Keshiari and a bus stand at Narayangarh. Banerjee also announced Rs 1 crore for the development of infrastructure in the district police line. Giving an account of the development projects, the Chief Minister said around 46 new colleges and four super-specialty hospitals have come up in the district.