CM announces new committee in GTA
Darjeeling: The Chief Minister on Tuesday announced the formation of a special committee in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
The committee will formulate short-term, mid-term and long-term plans regarding the development of Hills and submit a report within 6 months.
The Chief Minister held a review meeting of the GTA in Darjeeling on Tuesday.
"We have formed a special committee headed by Darjeeling MLA Amar Rai. The Chief Secretary will issue a notification on the formation of this committee. For the development of Darjeeling, short-term, mid-term and long-term planning is required. This committee will draw up a report on these lines and submit it in 6 months," stated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The committee constitutes of the three Hill MLAs, four Hill Municipality Chairpersons, Principal Secretary- GTA, District Magistrates and Superintendent of Police of Darjeeling and Kalimpong;, representatives of the Confederation of Indian Industries.
GTA Chairman Binoy Tamang will be the Chief Advisor and GTA Vice-Chairman Anit Thapa as the advisor.
"Darjeeling is getting congested. A new Darjeeling with new tourist spots have to come up. Tourism was discussed extensively. We also discussed cinchona, agriculture and IT," stated the CM. The committee will be identifying new tourist spots, identifying lands and preparing projects, added the Chief Minister.
Talking to media persons, Binoy Tamang, Chairman, GTA stated that the meeting was to take stock of progress after the Board of Administrators took charge of the GTA a year ago. "We apprised the Chief Minister of the projects completed and of the future projects," stated Tamang. He said issues like employment and creation of satellite townships were also discussed.
"The Hill towns are getting too congested. We suggested that new Satellite townships be built at Ghoom-Jorebungalow near Darjeeling, Sukhiapokhari and Algarah-Pedong near Kalimpong town. A land adjacent to Lalkothi (GTA Secretariat) will also be developed as a new tourism spot," stated Tamang.
The GTA praised the State Government for the cooperation extended to the GTA.
"We are satisfied with the cooperation being extended by the State Government. Working together with the State, we are developing the Hills," added the GTA Chairman.
The GTA emphasised on the inclusion of 11 Gorkha communities on the Scheduled Tribe list, Land rights for tea garden workers, minimum wages for tea garden workers, reopening of closed gardens and rehabilitation of sick tea gardens, Cultural and Development programmes for Gorkhas and Adivasis of Terai and Dooars regions along with absorbing contingent menials from the erstwhile GTA.
