From health to highways, CM unveils massive infra push across N Bengal
Siliguri: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, addressing a rally at Cooch Behar on Tuesday, stated: “From birth to death, we have 95 schemes operating. In North Bengal, I have announced many Suswastha Kendras (health centres) along with announcing the construction of roads and bridges.”
Laying emphasis on the health sector, Banerjee stated: “I have added 210 ICCU ambulances to provide medical help to people in remote places. The assistance has reached 100 places. They are mobile units. The Swastha Bandhus have already treated 1 lakh people. On Monday, I announced a 50-bedded hospital in Tufanganj.”
From Cooch Behar, the Chief Minister inaugurated the new building of the state’s first Rajbanshi Cultural Academy. The sprawling academy, situated in Birpara, Alipurduar district, was constructed at a cost of Rs 82 lakh. In Alipurduar, she inaugurated 18 projects and laid the foundation for 6 more. The projects have a combined expenditure exceeding Rs 14 crore. The six upcoming projects, costing over Rs 8 crore, include the construction of 10-bed buildings at health centres in Turturi, Shishu Jhumra, and Munshipara.
Banerjee virtually inaugurated projects worth Rs 44 crore for 34 schemes in Jalpaiguri district and laid the foundation for 28 new projects totalling Rs 15 crore. These initiatives encompass projects in various sectors, including drinking water, tourism, electricity, road construction, irrigation, social development, education, health, drainage, and boundary wall construction.
In Cooch Behar, she inaugurated 104 projects worth Rs 363 crore and simultaneously laid the foundation for 59 additional projects with a combined cost of Rs 176 crore, highlighting the state government’s commitment to holistic regional development.
A total of 76 projects were inaugurated in the Darjeeling district at a cost of Rs 273.96 crore. Of these, 15 projects are for road development with a budget of Rs 64.62 crore. An amount of Rs 8.08 crore has been sanctioned for bridge construction in Bijanbari, Darjeeling.
Moreover, Rs 154.27 crore has been sanctioned for 30 water projects in the district. A total of 21 projects under various health schemes have also been inaugurated with an allocation of Rs 21.95 crore. She virtually inaugurated a Rs 196.97 crore drinking water project for the Kalimpong Municipality area under AMRUT 2.0.
In North Dinajpur, Banerjee laid the foundation stones and inaugurated a total of 58 projects. The projects involve an overall investment of Rs 151 crore 36 lakh.
Among these, foundation stones were laid for 24 new schemes involving Rs. 80.18 crore. She inaugurated 26 development projects in South Dinajpur. The projects, costing nearly Rs 65 crore, include infrastructure, welfare and essential service upgrades. She also initiated work on 60 new projects across the district.
Malda has received a strong development push with major high-value projects worth nearly Rs 300 crore. The largest among them is the Rs 114-crore 132/33 kv gas-insulated substation at Habibpur, designed to stabilise power supply across rural belts.
The district also saw the inauguration of Rs 55 crore in new road projects to improve connectivity between key blocks.
Additionally, Rs 37.42 crore was allocated for fresh infrastructure, including Rs 24.28 crore for major road reconstruction, Rs 5.92 crore for educational upgrades, and Rs 3.54 crore to strengthen health facilities.
