Siliguri, Jan.TT. 17: The Bengal Ambuja Group will invest Rs 100 crore in three tourism projects in north Bengal, minister Gautam Deb today said.
A fourth project, by the developers of the Uttarayon Township here, will be in Sikkim.
The chief minister, too, will announce a wide range of projects, quite a few of them in the tourism sector, when she visits the region next month.
“The chief minister would announce new facilities for the people of north Bengal when she reaches here on February 10. Her plans include a regional centre for disaster management, supplemented by a fire station, at Naxalbari. The centre will offer training as well as function during natural calamities and emergencies like the earthquakes,” said Deb, the north Bengal development minister.
Mamata’s visit will also kick off a campaign to bolster Trinamul’s fortunes in north Bengal, a Congress bastion. Trinamul sources had earlier said she would chalk out a strategy to make her party’s presence felt in the region.
In the tourism sector, Deb said, the chief minister will announce the opening of additional accommodation — tents in specified locations — in Gorumara National Park and Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary. “Morgan House, a property owned by the tourism department in Kalimpong, and another government accommodation in the same area would be renovated. The website of our department is almost ready and the chief minister will launch it during the visit,” the minister said.
About the Bengal Ambuja investment, Deb said: “The group will shortly invest in projects at Lataguri, Makaibari and Ghoom in north Bengal.”
Mamata is also expected to make announcements on office infrastructure at the chief minister’s secretariat that will come up in Siliguri. “We have finalised a plot at Kamrangaguri, close to New Jalpaiguri station, for the secretariat and have submitted the details to the CMO. The construction of a second circuit house, considering the frequent movements of ministers and officials, is also necessary,” said Deb.
He said 38 projects, spread across six north Bengal districts and sanctioned by the government, would start by March 31.
“We have sought expression of interest for execution of projects. On the basis of responses made by competent enterprises, seven public sector undertakings have been shortlisted for the task. The tender process would commence soon,” Deb said. He said a process was on to recruit 17 engineers for the North Bengal Development Council and strengthen the engineering cell to facilitate the completion of 370 ongoing projects.
The projects had been started by the Left Front government but were not completed, Deb said.
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