July 12, 2022
I have never seen such a peaceful election in the hills: Mamata Banerjee
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday called for peace and prosperity in Darjeeling and proposed a slew of projects in the hills.
She was speaking in Darjeeling at the swearing-in ceremony of the elected members of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), whose elections were held after a gap of 10 years.
Mamata Banerjee said she will not come to usurp power in Darjeeling and wanted friendship with the people of the hills.
“I want friendship. I don’t want any quarrel. I have only one interest. The hills must move forward. Trust me, I will not come here to usurp power. I will come with love.”
“I have never seen such a peaceful election in the hills. I don’t want a repeat of what happened in the past. Now you have to promise me one thing. Whoever may be the leader, no one will allow any trouble in the hills. If there is peace, the economy will prosper,” said the chief minister.
The chief minister proposed three new satellite towns in the hills, in the fringes of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong, which will include an industrial hub, shops, home stays, shopping malls and restaurants among others. For Mirik, she proposed an earthquake resistant eco-tourism hub.
She proposed a slew of projects including skill training centres for job generation in the hills, schemes to boost homestays and eco-tourism centres around tea gardens, piped drinking water for all by 2024, special business summit for hills, bottling plants around hill streams, government loan for lady drivers, etc.
