Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced the formation of Tamang Development and Cultural Board at a public meeting in Darjeeling’s Chowrasta
Lauding the developmental work done by Lepcha Development Board, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the setting up of Tamang Welfare and Cultural Board in Darjeeling on Thursday. Addressing a public gathering in Darjeeling, she announced an additional Rs. 20-crore grant to Lepcha Development Board and Rs. 10-crore grant to Tamang Development and Cultural Board.
The announcement at the first public meeting of the Chief Minister after her party lost the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) alliance is significant. Her attempt to set up Lepcha Development Board was met with criticism by the GJM who had described the development as an attempt to create division among the people of the hills.
She also announced that the son of slain Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League leader Madan Tamang, as one of the member of Tamag Welfare and Cultural Board. The family members of Mr. Tamang have alleged that senior GJM leaders were involved in his murder in broad daylight.
“I want your trust, I want your faith…. I am not doing development for your votes,” the Chief Minister said. Ms. Banerjee also said that she has approached the Centre for conferring tribal status on the 11 communities from the region. “We have written to the new Central government to confer tribal status on 11 communities of the hills,” she said.
During her address delivered in Hindi, she made references to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the regional autonomous council, which is run by the GJM, and said both the GTA and the State government will help in the development of hills.
“There will be politics but one should not bring politics into development,” the Chief Minister said, adding that she will meet the representatives of the GTA and local MLAs on Friday.
Referring to the Rs. 250-crore safari park-cum-zoo in Sukna near Siliguri, Ms. Banerjee said the upcoming project will play a big role in boosting tourism in the region. She said the 261-acre safari park will house several animals, including tigers, leopards, rhinos, and a variety of reptiles and birds.
On the issue of the closed tea gardens, the Chief Minister said that the Centre should come up with a package. She claimed that her government has decided to pay Rs. 1,500 to the workers of the closed tea gardens and assured that the workers will be provided jobs under the 100-day-work guarantee scheme.
Reacting to the formation of Tamang Board, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said: “The state government is indulging in divisive politics here. They want to divide the Gorkhas and rule. But they will not be successful.” Incidentally, one of the board members is Sanjog Tamang, son of slain Gorkha League leader Madan Tamang. Madan’s murder case is being investigated by the CBI while several senior Morcha leaders, including Giri, had figured in the FIR as “conspirators”.
The meeting, or the “administrative programme”, was organised by Darjeeling district administration, and both the GJM and its wing GTA had claimed that they “did not receive any official invitation” to attend the programme.
Mamata, however, informed that her officers did go to invite GTA chief executive Bimal Gurung but were told that he was “busy with his birthday celebration programmes”. “(Upon learning) I wished him on his 50th birthday,” the CM said.
Later in the day, a Morcha delegation, led by Giri and MLAs Trilok Dewan and Rohit Sharma, held a meeting with chief secretary Sanjay Mitra where it was decided that a GTA delegation led by chief executive Bimal Gurung will remain present at the administrative review meeting today. Mamata will hold the meeting at 2 pm.
Source: thehindu and mumbaitv
Lauding the developmental work done by Lepcha Development Board, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the setting up of Tamang Welfare and Cultural Board in Darjeeling on Thursday. Addressing a public gathering in Darjeeling, she announced an additional Rs. 20-crore grant to Lepcha Development Board and Rs. 10-crore grant to Tamang Development and Cultural Board.
 |
| Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced the formation of Tamang Development and Cultural Board |
She also announced that the son of slain Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League leader Madan Tamang, as one of the member of Tamag Welfare and Cultural Board. The family members of Mr. Tamang have alleged that senior GJM leaders were involved in his murder in broad daylight.
“I want your trust, I want your faith…. I am not doing development for your votes,” the Chief Minister said. Ms. Banerjee also said that she has approached the Centre for conferring tribal status on the 11 communities from the region. “We have written to the new Central government to confer tribal status on 11 communities of the hills,” she said.
During her address delivered in Hindi, she made references to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the regional autonomous council, which is run by the GJM, and said both the GTA and the State government will help in the development of hills.
“There will be politics but one should not bring politics into development,” the Chief Minister said, adding that she will meet the representatives of the GTA and local MLAs on Friday.
Referring to the Rs. 250-crore safari park-cum-zoo in Sukna near Siliguri, Ms. Banerjee said the upcoming project will play a big role in boosting tourism in the region. She said the 261-acre safari park will house several animals, including tigers, leopards, rhinos, and a variety of reptiles and birds.
On the issue of the closed tea gardens, the Chief Minister said that the Centre should come up with a package. She claimed that her government has decided to pay Rs. 1,500 to the workers of the closed tea gardens and assured that the workers will be provided jobs under the 100-day-work guarantee scheme.
Reacting to the formation of Tamang Board, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said: “The state government is indulging in divisive politics here. They want to divide the Gorkhas and rule. But they will not be successful.” Incidentally, one of the board members is Sanjog Tamang, son of slain Gorkha League leader Madan Tamang. Madan’s murder case is being investigated by the CBI while several senior Morcha leaders, including Giri, had figured in the FIR as “conspirators”.
The meeting, or the “administrative programme”, was organised by Darjeeling district administration, and both the GJM and its wing GTA had claimed that they “did not receive any official invitation” to attend the programme.
Mamata, however, informed that her officers did go to invite GTA chief executive Bimal Gurung but were told that he was “busy with his birthday celebration programmes”. “(Upon learning) I wished him on his 50th birthday,” the CM said.
Later in the day, a Morcha delegation, led by Giri and MLAs Trilok Dewan and Rohit Sharma, held a meeting with chief secretary Sanjay Mitra where it was decided that a GTA delegation led by chief executive Bimal Gurung will remain present at the administrative review meeting today. Mamata will hold the meeting at 2 pm.
Source: thehindu and mumbaitv
Post a Comment