DARJEELING: Mamata Banerjee has spared no effort to win the heart of Darjeeling in her first visit to the Hills as chief minister, signing cheques generously, discarding decades-old security practices for visiting CMs to mingle freely with the people, and obliging local leaders by telling them exactly what they wanted to hear.
Her cheque-and-charm drive on Tuesday turned the mood from cautiously optimistic to celebratory as she announced sops and grants for projects that ranged from school education to road repairs , and even promised to seek an additional 500 crore from the Centre for earthquake rebuilding.
"Darjeeling has suffered worse damage than Sikkim in the earthquake (of 6.8 magnitude on September 18 with its epicenter in north Sikkim)," she declared while inaugurating a cultural programme organized by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). She also announced a spot assistance of 20 crore as house-building grant. The state government has already requested the Centre to sanction 495 crore for earthquake relief. "I will make it 500 crore," Mamata said, adding, "I will write to the Centre for an additional 500 crore," On Monday, when she arrived in Darjeeling, the GJM had sought an assistance of 1,000 crore for an "earthquake ravaged" Darjeeling . "The CM is like our mother. We are like her children . We can make demands of her," GJM chief Bimal Gurung had said.
The chief minister seemed more than keen to oblige. Calling Darjeeling her "darling" , she stepped on the dais set up for her at the Mall without the bulletproof shield customary for her predecessors and reiterated her vision to convert the Queen of the Hills into a Switzerland through a slew of civic and infrastructure projects that she said would improve quality of life. "If Kashmir is the heaven of India , Darjeeling is the heaven of Bengal," she said amid cheers. "Just having the heart and love does not help, work has to be done for those you love for their betterment. Darjeeling will be a healthy and wealthy baby, and jobs will be provided so that people don't have to go outside. This will help realize my dream of turning it into a Switzerland."
MAMATA PUTS HER MONEY WHERE HER HEART IS
State to give spot assistance of 20 crore as house-building grant CM to increase quake relief demand from Centre to 500 crore from 495 crore. Says she will demand another 500 crore 50 lakh from CM's relief fund for earthquake-related damage for Dr Graham's Home Spot assistance of 2 crore to solve drinking water shortage woes 8 crore sanctioned for irrigation facilities in villages 20 crore sanctioned for repair of roads 56 crore sanctioned for Balason water supply project 10 crore and 28 crore, respectively, for beautification of the Mall and Chowrasta CM to request Centre to subsidize 90% of Plan funds for Darjeeling and north Bengal Planters Club and Gymkhana Club to be refurbished International research centre on Rabindranath Tagore and a Bhanu Bhakta Nepali Academy in Mungpoo CM announces slew of projects
Darjeeling: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee made it clear on Tuesday that Darjeeling would continue to be an integral part of West Bengal. "The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) should march ahead. The state government will give it all the backing it needs. We will be with you, but you will be with us," she said. Mamata did not dwell too long on political hurdles in the way of the formation of the GTA, saying an ad hoc council had already started functioning , a high-powered committee for identification of areas in Dooars and Terai for inclusion in the GTA was doing its job and work on delimitation of constituencies for holding GTA elections was under way, too. She focused, instead, on development projects, tourism, and civic issues like drinking water and roads.
While the Left Front government wasn't in favour of a proposal to make north Bengal a part of the Northeast Council, Mamata said she would write to the Prime Minister and the home minister, requesting that 90% of Plan funds for Darjeeling and north Bengal be subsidized by the Centre, like in the northeast. She also announced her vision to make Darjeeling an IT hub, sanctioned Rs 20 crore for road repairs, 17 new primary and 30 upper primary schools and a master plan for the development of tourism. For Lepchas, she announced the setting up of a development council under the Backward Classes Welfare Department.
TOI
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