Darjeeling: GTA holds first meeting

Darjeeling (WB), Aug 14 (PTI) The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration today held its first meeting after it was formed in September, last year. Bimal Gurung, GTA's chief executive, and 14 executive members held a meeting with other GTA officials to focus on issues which needed immediate attention. The hill body, which conducted election last month which the dominant party Gorkha Janmukti Morcha swept, decided to go in for a detailed analysis of the ongoing projects many of which were started by the DGHC which it replaced. Gurung said after the meeting, "We basically wanted to know the state of affairs prevailing in the hills from various departments." Saumitra Mohan, principal secretary of the GTA, said: "Gurung sought a detailed report from all departments about ongoing projects, the amount which has been committed to these projects and the surplus amount left with the GTA." The GTA's decision to study the state of ongoing projects before announcing new ones marks a departure from old practice. The GTA will receive a grant of Rs 200 crore for the next three years from the Centre. A GTA official said the hill set-up had already written to the Centre regarding the special grant and was hopeful that the funds would come by the month-end. Gurung said GTA members, along with the principal secretary, would meet the Prime Minister, Union home minister, Governor and the chief minister. PTI CORR MD