'We fulfill what we commit, don't make hollow promises like Centre'
Falakata: Handing over allotment letters for various welfare schemes to the beneficiaries here on Tuesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government fulfils its commitments instead of making hollow promises like the Centre.
"Whatever we commit, we fulfill but the Centre makes hollow promises. Our's is a government of the common people, workers, Adivasis and farmers," she added.
During her ensuing trip to North Bengal, the Chief Minister visited Falakata—located in the tea belt of Dooars— en route to Alipurduar, where she will address a Trinamool Congress workers' meet on Wednesday.
"Last year during the budget, we had committed to bring a housing scheme for the tea garden workers. This year, we launched the 'Chai Sundari' scheme. Not only this, we have raised the wages of tea workers from Rs 76 to Rs 202 during our tenure," Banerjee said.
Banerjee handed over 'Chai Sundari' housing allotment letters to beneficiaries from Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts. More than 4600 allotment letters have been handed over to the beneficiaries from the three tea-producing districts, including 3055 beneficiaries from Alipurduar; 1067 from Jalapiguri and 489 from Darjeeling. "We have chosen the beneficiaries from 12 gardens which also include 6 closed gardens," she added.
The beneficiaries belonged to Mujnai tea garden; Rahimpur; Lankapara; Red Bank; Glassmore; Deklapara; Torsa; Dharanipur; Torsa; Manabari; Gayaganga and Sukna. The project pegged at Rs 500 crore will be completed in 3 years. The Chief Minister assured that all tea garden workers, who don't have houses, will get one.
Training guns at the BJP-led union government, Banerjee said: "During elections, Delhi (the centre) will speak a lot. When elections are over, they will run away. They have won so many MP seats in North Bengal. What have they done? They had assured them that they would open up 7 closed tea gardens. Did they?
We have opened 9 closed tea gardens."
She stated that even the Left Front Government did not do anything for the upliftment of tea garden workers. Banerjee stated that her government is committed towards the backward classes and people from the tribal community.
"We have passed a law whereby land owned by a tribal cannot be transferred to a non-tribal. A separate department for the tribal and Tribes Advisory Council has been started by our government. We have taken all necessary steps to preserve and promote tribal culture and languages. Holidays have been declared on the anniversaries of stalwarts of the tribal community," she added.
Banerjee also distributed Swasthya Sathi cards; Utvastu Pattas (land right documents;) caste certificates; Krishak Bandhu; Tapashili Bandhu (Schedule Case;) Rupashree and Chokher Alo
cards to beneficiaries from the region.
Honouring the long standing appeal made by the local residents, the Chief Minister declared that municipalities will be set up at Falakata and Mainaguri in the Jalpaiguri district.
"The region will benefit from the two new municipalities," she added, while inaugurating some new projects.
