Chief Minister announces grant of Rs 175 crore to GTA
Darjeeling: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her ongoing North Bengal visit translated many of her earlier commitments into action. The Chief Minister handed out a deluge of development projects and financial packages for both the Hills and the plains.
The Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs 175 crore to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. While Rs 150 crore was handed over to Anit Thapa, Chairman, Board of Administrator, GTA, at the administrative meeting on Wednesday, the remaining amount will be handed over in a day or two stated the Chief Secretary.
Besides, Rs 5 crore was handed over to the Rajbongshi Bhasha Academy and another Rs 10 crore to the Rajbongshi Development and Cultural Board. Rs 10 crore each was given to Terai Dooars Development Board and Adivasi Development Board.
With the click of a button, Banerjee remotely laid the foundation stone of the Jalpaiguri Medical College and Hospital, a long standing demand of the people of the district.
Honoring public sentiments the Chief Minister christened the Cooch Behar Medical College and Hospital as Maharaja Jitendra Narayan Medical College and Hospital.
About 50 acres of land was handed over at Mathabhanga for the second campus of Panchanan Burma University in Cooch Behar. This second campus will also bear the same name.
The most important religious landmark of the Rajbongshis and Kamtapuris, the Kamteshwari Temple at Goshanimari has undergone renovation by the State Government. The Chief Minister lauded the renovation work, stating: "Cooch Behar will be declared a heritage town. This temple is an import part of that heritage."
The second phase of the Graham Chapel renovation work at Kalimpong was initiated on Wednesday. The total project cost is Rs 6 crore.
The Chief Minister also announced the conversion of 64 forest villages in the GTA area into revenue villages and handed over the documents to Thapa. The conversion will enable smooth distribution of Pattas (land documents) to the residents, a long standing demand in the Hills.
"We have begun the process of handing over Pattas to the villagers already and hope to complete the process soon," stated Banerjee.
Adding to this Amar Singh Rai, member of the GTA committee to grant Pattas to forest dwellers stated that out of 2,000 odd claimants belonging to the Schedule Tribe community, the process for 90 per cent has been completed.
The problem is for around 1,500 other forest dwellers (non-ST) owing to certain criteria. If flexibility can be brought then we hope to complete the entire process in the next 2 months, Rai said.
Banerjee during her earlier visit to Kalimpong had proposed that a health-cum-wellness centre be developed owing to the excellent weather on the very lines of Darjeeling being built by the British as a health sanatorium.
"The DM Kalimpong has earmarked 5 acres of land where this project will come up. A DPR has been prepared," stated Rajiva Sinha.
The land in Lava Gitbeong GP in Algarah will include components including Siddha, Unani, Yoga, Naturopathy consultation and therapy along with a gym and spa.