Darjeeling News: WB govt will now start process of GTA formation: Governor

Kolkata, Mar 15 (PTI) With President Pratibha Patil having given assent to Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Bill earlier this month, the West Bengal government will now begin the process of formation of the GTA, Governor M K Narayanan said today. "I am happy to inform you that assent of the Honourable President (to the Bill) has been obtained. The process of formation of the GTA will now begin," Narayanan said in his address in the West Bengal Assembly on the opening day of the budget session. Pointing out that there was unrest in the Darjeeling hills when the Mamata Banerjee government took over, the governor said that within two months of taking charge, the new government took positive steps towards establishing peace by solving the long-standing problems. "Decisions were taken, through bipartite meetings with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership, to resolve the pending issues and work towards establishing an autonomous body with administrative, financial and executive powers and to restore peace, order and normalcy in the hills," he said. A tripartite agreement among the Centre, the state government and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha was signed on July 18 last year, envisaging the setting up of the GTA, a new hill council to replace the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council that will run the administration in the hills. On recommendation by the state government, the Centre has committed financial assistance for three years for development activities in the hills, Narayanan said, adding that the state government had also assured all help and cooperation. Stating that peace could ultimately be established in the hills after a long period, he said that there was normalcy in public life and tourists were now going to the hills in huge numbers. "This is a conspicuous success of the new government," Narayanan said.