People express high expectations as Sukanta becomes MoS

BALURGHAT: With Sukanta Majumdar elected from the Balurghat Lok Sabha Constituency for the second term, he has been given the portfolios of Union Minister of State (MoS) for Education and the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region by the NDA government. This marks the first time that an elected Parliamentarian from Balurghat has been included in the Union Cabinet.

The people of Balurghat, though happy, have high expectations that Majumdar will ensure development of his constituency, especially in the field of education, as a minister.

Krishnapada Mondal, a veteran educationist and teacher from Balurghat, expressed his delight at Majumdar’s appointment. “I emphasise the need for improved infrastructure at the local university to establish it as a full-fledged institution. There is no central university in Balurghat and it is necessary to establish the same in the South Dinajpur district,” Mondal stated. Additionally, he reiterated the longstanding demand for a medical college and suggested the development of a hospital with state-of-the-art facilities like AIIMS.

Naba Kumar Das, another educationist from Balurghat, echoed similar demands. “It would be better if he takes steps to establish a central university or a campus of Benares University in the district, similar to Aligarh University’s campus in Murshidabad,” stated Das.

“I advocate the importance of the Balurghat-Meghalaya-Tura corridor project, which would significantly improve communication between South Dinajpur and Northeast involving him in finalising the project, which is awaiting a memorandum of understanding between the governments of India and Bangladesh,” Das added.

Mahua Chowdhury, acting headmistress of Balurghat Girls High School, expressed her joy at Majumdar’s dual ministerial appointments.

Sukanta Majumdar stated: “Having been elected twice from Balurghat and now appointed as a state minister for two departments, I will strive to meet the expectations of the people of Balurghat and the district over the next five years from Prime Minister Modi’s Cabinet.”