The Trinamool Congress Government has brought about a lot of change in North Bengal. A lot of financial and infrastructural assistance is being provided to Darjeeling district. All the communities are benefitting. The Hills are smiling once again.

Here are the developments brought about in Darjeeling district by the Trinamool Congress Government during the last five years:

• Eighty per cent of the people have access to all policies of the State Government.

 

Uttarkanya

• The secretariat for North Bengal established, ensuring that people don’t have to travel to Kolkata for most governmental work.

 

North Bengal Development

• Many developmental works done, including renovations of Dinabandhu Mancha and Dinabandhu Stadium in Siliguri, Sukna Forest Bungalow, Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus in Siliguri, etc.

 

New districts

•  For ease of administration, Kalimpong sub-division is being made into a district and Mirik is being made into a new sub-division.

 

Police

• A new police commissionerate has been set up in Siliguri. A women’s police station has been set up in Darjeeling.

 

Health

• Six fair-price medicine shops (FPMSs) – North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Siliguri Sadar Hospital, Darjeeling District Sadar Hospital, Kalimpong Sub-divisional Hospital, Kurseong Sub-divisional Hospital, Naxalbari Hospital. As a result, more than 8.5 lakh people have got discount benefits to the tune of Rs 12.58 crore.

• Three fair-price diagnostic centres (FPDSs) – North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Siliguri Sadar Hospital, Darjeeling District Sadar Hospital. To be started at Kalimpong Sub-divisional Hospital by May.

• Two sick newborn care units (SNCUs) – Siliguri Sadar Hospital, North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.

• Eight sick newborn stabilisation units (SNSUs) – Kurseong Sub-divisional Hospital, Naxalbari Hospital, Kharibari Hospital, Bijanbari Hospital, Ranti Hospital, Sukhiapokhri Hospital, Sukna Hospital, Phansidewa Hospital.

• Three critical care units (CCUs) – Darjeeling District Sadar Hospital, Siliguri Sadar Hospital, North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.

• Two high dependency units (HDUs) – To be opened at Kalimpong Sub-divisional Hospital and Kurseong Sub-divisional Hospital by May.

• New medical college set up in Kurseong.

 

Kanyashree Scheme

• Twenty two thousand girl children have been brought under the Kanyashree Scheme.

 

Khadya Suraksha Scheme

• About 14 lakh people in the district, including tea garden workers, getting foodgrains at Rs 2 per kg.

 

Development Boards

• Mayal Lyang Lepcha Development Board: Ronglee Scheme for housing – 3,000 poor Lepcha families covered; Rs 35 crore allotted in the current Budget; many night schools set up in remote regions; 30 schools, with toilets; two Cultural Tourism Centres (Sukhiapokhri and Kalimpong); two women’s hostel (Kalimpong and Doring); 10 Jhora Improvement Schemes to prevent soil erosion and landslides, and to preserve water.

• Tamang Development Board: One thousand five hundred houses for the poor; self-help groups to promote traditional handicrafts.

• Sherpa Cultural Board: Houses for the poor – 500 constructed in the first phase, second phase going on; 10 famous Sherpa mountaineers given Rs 1 lakh each; community hall for the Sherpas; grammar book of the language of the Sherpas published; religious trips to Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Lumbini facilitated for 50 elderly Sherpas every year; projects to prevent soil erosion; renovation of heritage buildings and monasteries.

• Setting up of Bhutia Development Board, Mangar Development Board, Khambu-Rai Development Board and Limbu Development Board.

 

100 Days’ Work

• Rs 743 crore spent to create 2.8 crore man-days. Rs 222 crore more to be spent by May for developmental work.

 

Tourism

• Gorkha Museum at Batasia Loop, Orchid Jungle in Kalimpong, Tea Boutique and Tea Museum in Darjeeling, etc.

• North Bengal Wild Animals Park has come up near Siliguri, over 297 acres.

 

Farmers

• More than 1 lakh farmers given Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs).

• Kisan Mandis set up in Salbari and Phansidewa.

 

Sabuj Sathi

• About 37,000 school children given bicycles under Sabuj Sathi.

 

Education

• Himalayan Campus of Presidency University being constructed.

• Five industrial training institutes (ITIs) coming up by May; two colleges, two polytechnics; one Multi-Skill Training Centre in Kalimpong; educational hub in Dow Hill.

• 20 primary schools, 99 Higher Secondary schools; 41 primary school upgraded to Higher Secondary schools and 40 Madhyamik schools upgraded, too.

 

Housing

• Nijo Griha Nijo Bhumi (NGNB): About 11,000 people given pattas under the scheme.

 

Roads

• Rural roads of 363 km built; 217 km more to be built by May.

 

Mission Nirmal Bangla

• 52,000 toilets built under the scheme.

 

Environment

• Clean Darjeeling, Green Darjeeling mission started in order to clean up and maintain the environment.

 

Shikshasree

• 9,000 students getting help under the scheme; 6,000 more to be covered by May.

 

SC/ST/OBC certificates

• 62,000 certificates given to SCs, STs and OBC.

 

Minority development

• About 1.08 lakh students from minority communities given scholarships worth Rs 23 crore; 21,000 more to get by May.

• Loans worth Rs 14 crore given to youth from minority communities to make them self-sufficient; Rs 4 crore worth more loans to be given by May.

 

Karma Tirtha

• Nine set up in Kalimpong-1, Kalimpong-2, Gorubatha, Rangli Rangliot, Kurseong and Phansidewa blocks.

 

MSME

• Seven clusters for micro, small and medium enterprises set up, leading to large-scale employment.

• Bank loans worth 1,900 crore given out; another Rs 125 crore worth loans to be given out by May.

 

PWD and Transport

• 2 Asian Highways (AH-1 and AH-48) being constructed.

• BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) Motor Vehicle Agreement signed last May to facilitate easy movement of goods between the four countries.

• Roads of 405 km built, renovated and widened, including relaying of the Peshak-Mongpu road and renovation of NH31C.

 

Electricity and renewable energy development

• One hundred per cent rural electrification; four hydel power projects established.

 

Irrigation

• Strengthening of dams long 50 km.

• Two thousand hectares more of land brought under irrigation.

 

Public Health Engineering (PHE)

• Thirty-one drinking water projects completed, work for seven ongoing; 20 lakh gallons water from Balasan River being piped to houses, under a Rs 55-crore project.

 

Labour

• Yuvashree Scheme – 193 youth are getting stipend.

• Eighty five thousand unorganised workers made part of State-Assisted Scheme of Provident Fund for Unorganised Workers (SASPFUW), 62,000 construction workers made part of West Bengal Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Act (BOCWA), 11,000 transport workers brought under West Bengal Transport Workers’ Social Security Scheme (WBTWSSS).

 

Self-Help Groups (SHGs)

• More than 1,500 self-help groups created under Anadadhara Scheme, 1,500 more to be created by May.

• Under Swami Vivekananda Swanirbhar Karmasansthan Prakalpa’ (SVSKP), about 1,500 schemes worth Rs 9 crore sanctioned.

 

Urban Development

• The five municipalities in the district have spent Rs 302 crore towards developmental schemes; 5,000 houses for the urban poor.

 

Information & Broadcasting

• Almost 2,000 folk artistes getting Lokshilpi retainer fee and pension; 400 more to get soon.

 

Housing

• Under Gitanjali and other schemes; 3,500 houses built for the economically weaker sections; 2,000 more to be built by May.

 

Sports and Youth Affairs

• Gorkha Stadium, Lebong renovated; Kanchenjungha Stadium flood-lit; 48 clubs given monetary aid.