July 17, 2014
Jangalmahal and Darjeeling are national models now: WB CM at Darjeeling
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms MamataBanerjee reached Darjeeling on Wednesday for a two-day visit. At a public meeting at Darjeeling Mall earlier today, she laid the foundationstone for several projects in the Hills and inaugurated some projects.
At Bagdogra Airport, Ms Banerjee said thestate government has written to the Centre for a rehabilitation package for theworkers of closed tea plantations. The state government has sent a letter tothe Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce and IndustryNirmala Sitharaman.
Five tea plantations in the Dooars andthree plantations in the Hills are closed presently. “We want to engage workersof the closed tea plantations under the 100 days` work scheme. The statepanchayat department has sanctioned Rs 2 crore. This apart, the stategovernment has also decided to provide financial assistance of Rs 1,500 toworkers of those plantations. We will try to provide maximum facilities to themthrough the panchayat scheme,” the Chief Minister said.
Rs 1,500 would be provided to the workersunder the Financial Assistance to Workers in the Locked Out Industrial Units (FAWLOI).The Chief Minister will lay the foundation stone of the Balason river based pumpingproject to supply water in Darjeeling.
The Chief Minister also said 300 old agepensions had been sanctioned. “We will inaugurate a drinking water project inDarjeeling, and lay the foundation stone for an animal safari park near Siliguri.The safari park is a Rs 250 crore project and it would be set up on 261hectares of land. Public Health Engineering Minister Mr Subrata Mukherjee hasalso come here for the water project,” the Chief Minister said.
“Another development project will be forSiliguri. A Regional Labour Office at Dagapur Complex in Siliguri is being setup here at a cost of Rs 7 crore. It would deal with issues of labourers,” shesaid.
Excerpts from the Chief Minister`s speech at Darjeeling Chowrasta:
I am thankful to all my brothers andsisters for being present here despite the heavy rain. We want people ofDarjeeling to stay well.
Darjeeling has been suffering from drinkingwater problems for a long time. We have started the pipelined water project. Weassure you the drinking water problem will be solved now. The drinking waterissues of Kalimpong were addressed earlier. Now we have done it for Darjeeling.We will work for Kurseong also.
Politics should not be done on issues ofpublic service. I want to promote the culture of the Hills. I want yourcooperation. I have come to the Hills 40 times. I want you to maintain peace inthe Hills. The more tourists come here, better will be your economy. I feel happy when I see my brothers andsisters in the Hills smiling.
We observed the birth anniversary of poetBhanu Bhakt. We set up the Lepcha Development Board. They have done brilliantwork. The Lepcha Development Board built 998 homes within a year. I amsanctioning funds for 1000 more homes for Lepchas. We have written to the newCentral Government to confer tribal status to 11 communities of the Hills. Weare proud of our Sherpa brothers.
We give away medicines for free to therural poor from Govt medical centres. We will set up a fair price diagnosticcentre in Darjeeling. We have written to the Centre to formulate a policy forthe workers of tea gardens. We will give monthly allowance to workers of closedtea gardens. We will give rice and attaat Rs 2 per kg to them.
We have decided to involve workers ofclosed tea gardens in 100 Days Job Scheme. We have set up a sports academy forNorth Bengal. We laid the foundation for a labour office for North Bengal. Weare setting up a Safari Park at Sukna on 261 acres of land.
We conduct administrative review meeting inevery district. Tomorrow I will meet the officials of this district. We wanttourism industry in the Hills to flourish. We also want to set up an IT hubhere.
We will continue to work for the people. Wewant your trust and faith. We want your love. We don`t work for votes. We haveplans to set up a University in Darjeeling. Schools in the Hills are doinggood. We have started Kanyashreescheme for girls. We want you to enrol yourself. We have started Shikkhashree scheme for SC/STs.
We are observing Kanyashree Dibas across the State on 14th August. We have started Yuvashree scheme for unemployed youth.Register your names in the employment bank. Bengal secured the first rank inskill development. We are No. 1 in MSME sector. Jangalmahal and Darjeeling arenational models now. Companies like Raymonds and Samsung are partnering with usto train the youth. From Kanyashreeto MSME and 100 Days Job Scheme – Bengal is the model now.
I want my people in the Hills to stay welland stay safe. We are a united family. I will keep coming back to Darjeeling. Iwill come for the people.
