West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday conducted a meeting with the Tribes Advisory Council (TAC) to discuss the welfare and advancement of the scheduled tribes in the state. The Chief Minister is on a three-day visit to the Hills.
After the meeting, the West Bengal Chief Minister said, “This is a routine meeting. A meeting of the same type had been earlier conducted in Jaldapahar, on Wednesday it was conducted in Darjeeling, and the next one will be conducted in Jangalmahal. We have done several development work for tribal people. The new tribes who pluck kendu leaves receive government premiums, and also receive a pension of Rs.2,00,000 once they reach 60 years of age. For the tribal families living in Jangalmahal, rice can be purchased at only Rs.2 a kilo”, adding, “Many advantages are given to the scheduled tribe and scheduled caste people with regard to employment as well. The tribal department provides pension to 1,30,000 people, among whom 200 are from the tea gardens and closed down factories.”
The West Bengal Chief Minister also said that a committee comprising a group of ministers has already been formed to look into the problems of the tea garden.”Tribal Bhawans are being constructed in six districts across Bengal. One is being constructed at Rajarghat in Kolkata as well,” she added.
In may be mentioned that Lal Kothi has seen the presence of eminent personalities like R Venkataraman, former President and Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister, in the past. The West Bengal Chief Minister, expressing happiness to be visiting Lal Kothi had said on Wednesday, that although she never got an opportunity to visit it previously, she had heard a lot about it. After the meeting, she went for a walk around Lal Kothi and remarked that the place is very beautiful. On completion of her tour around Lal Kothi, West Bengal Chief Minister headed towards Tiger Hill.