April 30: A GTA Sabha delegation visiting
Calcutta today demanded Rs 575 crore from the Centre and the state
government to put in place the administrative infrastructure of the hill
body.
The demand for the
funds was placed at a meeting between the six-member delegation of the
hill autonomous body and state chief secretary Sanjay Mitra and home
secretary Basudeb Banerjee.
The GTA memorandum
of agreement signed by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the central and
state governments to establish the GTA has a provision for a one-time
financial assistance to set up the administrative infrastructure.
“The Centre and
the state had agreed to grant a one-time financial assistance to set up
GTA secretariat building, Sabha house and offices and quarters for both
members and officials of the GTA in the memorandum of agreement. Today,
we submitted a proposal from the GTA to the state government saying we
would need Rs 575 crore for the project,” Morcha general secretary
Roshan Giri said over phone after the meeting.
The provision in
the GTA memorandum of agreement reads: “The Government of India/ State
Government will provide one time financial assistance required for
development of administrative infrastructure viz., GTA Sabha House,
Secretariat Complex and the residential quarters for the elected members
of GTA and the senior officers.”
Giri, who led the Morcha delegation, also said the demand for Rs 575 crore had already been conveyed to the Centre.
“The chief
secretary was of the opinion that since the Centre, too, had to bear
the expenses as per the agreement, the matter should be discussed at the
next review meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Darjeeling in
mid-May,” said Giri.
The review
meetings, attended by GTA members and officials of the state government
and the Union home ministry, are held to look into the functioning of
the hill body.
The last review meeting was held in Delhi on December 26, 2012.
During today’s
meeting, the state government assured the Morcha delegation that R.D.
Meena, the new principal secretary of the GTA, would take charge in the
first week of May.
“We have been told
to send a proposal through the principal secretary once he assumes
charge for setting up a subordinate selection board, which will be
responsible for carrying out recruitment in the GTA,” Giri said.
The board will
take care of the recruitment of Group B, C and D employees of the GTA
and there is a provision for the same in the MoA.
“The Bengal
government will also issue a notification soon on setting up a separate
school service and college service commissions for the GTA area,” said
Giri.
The delegation also asked the government to transfer the administration of 18 mouzas in the Terai to the GTA completely.
“The state
government has mentioned that it will ensure that transfer of schools,
panchayat offices and health centres from the 18 Terai mouzas which have
been brought under the GTA will take place soon,” said Giri.
The Telegraph
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