Darjeeling Hills: Rs 103 cr granted for Hills’ electrification

SILIGURI, 20 FEB: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has sanctioned Rs 103 crore for electrification of the rural areas in the Darjeeling Hills under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Bidyutayan Project, administrative officials said today.

Miss Banerjee will announce the electrification project during her tour to the Hills. She is tentatively scheduled to visit Darjeeling on 29 February.

Following the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha’s demands, the chief minister had promised that she would allot funds for electrification in the rural areas, including virgin moujas. The number of virgin moujas is comparatively fewer in the Hills sub-divisions.

The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) will function as nodal agency for implementing the project. Notably, the DGHC, during the tenure of Mr Subash Ghisingh, had taken up the rural electrification project, but could not implement it properly.

“The then DGHC authorities had erected several poles in several villages but they failed to provide power connection in many areas,” a GJMM leader said.

According to sources, Miss Banerjee will announce setting up of the Nepali academy at Mongpoo in Kalimpong. She will also announce other projects for the development of the Hills, including tourism development, as part of the Gorkhaland Territorial Agreement (GTA).

Sources said Miss Banerjee had expressed concern over the plight of roads, a major drawback in the Hills, particularly the National Highway-55. The condition of the highway has badly affected the tourism industry in the Hills despite several attempts to develop tourists’ spots in the Hills, including the proposal for commissioning a new ropeway at Rohini.

According to administrative officials, the chief minister had sanctioned Rs 5 crore to repair Rohini Road, owned by the DGHC.

The authorities are trying to secure another Rs 5 crore from the DGHC to restore the road. The DGHC has started repairing the road, particularly in the Hills area.

statesman news service