In an effort to develop and restore peace to the 23 blocks affected by left wing extremism, West Bengal government’s Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs Department has taken up major initiatives. This has brought about overall development of the areas and has also improved the standard of life of the people living in those areas considerably.
Here are some of the initiatives taken up by the department:
Health
- Construction of 696 anganwadi centres at a cost of Rs 50.39 crore in Bankura, Purulia, Birbhum and Burdwan districts in 2014-2015
- Construction of 6 nutritional rehabilitation centres (NRC) in the Jangalmahal region in Paschim Medinipur district nearing completion
- Seven multi super-speciality hospitals constructed in Borjora, Onda, Chatna, Bishnupur, Nayagram, Jhargram and Gopiballabhpur; five more under construction in Hatuara, Raghunathpur, Shalbani, Debra and Ghatal
Infrastructure
- Rs 9.83 crore sanctioned for three metalled roads in the Ayodhya Hills region in Purulia district – from Shirkhabad Hospital More to Ayodhya Hills, Begunkokal to Saharjuri via Bamni, and Chhatrajara to Usuldungi.
- Rs.20.81 crore sanctioned for Papatpur Bridge over the junction of Tarafeni and Bhairab Banki Rivers in Binpur-I block.
- Rs.25.3 crore sanctioned for Lalgarh to Dherua road.
- For providing drinking water, 595 mark-II tube wells have been sunk.
- Ten schemes for surface flow minor irrigation executed in 10 blocks of Purulia district at Rs 8.6 crore.
Social security
- Rs 5.3 crore sanctioned for cultivation of lac in a scientific way in Purulia, Bankura and Paschim Medinipur districts; this would generate self-employment for 13,000 beneficiaries.
- So far, 4,661 houses for the poor and needy under the Gitanjali Scheme have been built and handed over to the beneficiaries.
These are some of the many initiatives taken by the Trinamool Congress Government led by Mamata Banerjee to develop the backward regions of the State and bring them at par with the speedy growth of the State. These efforts have improved the living conditions of the people in the areas which were earlier affected by LWE. The people also have fresh energy to take control of their own growth and progress with the help and empowerment received from the State Government.