West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. (Express photo by Renuka Puri)
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in Darjeeling on Monday evening for a five-day trip during which she is likely to announce developmental initiatives. She will hold a series of meeting from Tuesday with representatives of community-based development boards in Kalimpong.
“The chief minister will talk to all heads of the boards…The agenda is not clear but we expect a lot of development initiatives will be announced… Some of the boards did not receive funds for the 2018-19 financial year,” said the head of a board. The boards had lied low during the Gorkhaland agitation for a separate state last year and were not supportive of the Mamata-led Trinamool Congress government.
Mamata was able to set up a new Gorkhaland Territorial Administration board with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha breakaway faction chief Binay Tamang as its head. Separately, preparations were on for setting up a permanent chief minister’s office in Richmond Hills, Darjeeling. Mamata had during an earlier visit to Darjeeling promised to set up the office to facilitate administrative works in the region. An official from Mamata’s office would be in-charge of the branch.
North Bengal development department’s office will include a chief minister’s chamber, conference room and office block. Mamata had in February visited Darjeeling and called the region “an inseparable part of India and the state”. She had promised the region’s development while saying it will be only ushered in if everyone works together for peace. “All of us should work together if the cause is good. Darjeeling can be developed, but for that, we all need to combine our efforts and ensure that there is peace here,” she had said.
Mamata’s visit had followed a 104-day shutdown over the demand for a separate Gorkhaland.