West Bengal CM to resume administrative meetings after Covid outbreak

KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is headed to North Bengal next week to resume her district administrative meetings, her first such visit since the Covid-19 outbreak in March.
September 11 was the last announced total lockdown in Bengal till September 20. The CM’s September 21-24 North Bengal tour is after that. Banerjee will leave for Siliguri on Monday and return on September 24.
Nabanna sources said the CM will hold an administrative meeting with DMs, SPs and officials of Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts on September 22 and meet officials of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Cooch Behar the following day. Banerjee will stay at Uttar Kanya — the North Bengal branch secretariat — and would also hold meetings with North Bengal development minister Rabindranath Ghosh.
Apart from the administrative meetings, there would be some political meetings too. Sources said while most meetings will be virtual, the CM might have closed-door interactions with political leaders. Some functionaries of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), Lepcha Welfare Board and Bhutia Welfare Board might meet her. All officials and leaders supposed to meet the CM personally have been directed to strictly follow Covid-19 protocols.
As there are inputs there might be agitation in the Hills before the assembly polls to put the Trinamool government on a sticky wicket, the CM is likely to speak to all stakeholders, including senior TMC leaders of North Bengal. Banerjee will try to take into confidence GJM leaders, including Binay Tamang, who runs the show at GTA.
It is expected that the CM might declare some new projects for the people of North Bengal. Worried over the condition of workers of closed tea gardens, Banerjee will speak to labour leaders.
With political violence increasing in Cooch Behar, the CM might stress on controlling violence there. The functioning of state universities would also be under the scanner. Banerjee is also expected to meet officials of North Bengal Medical College and Cooch Behar Medical College.