DARJ MP: ONLY GTA HAS POWER TO ANNOUNCE DEVP BOARDS

SNS, Siliguri. 5 February 2017: Union minister of state agriculture and farmers welfare and parliamentary affairs SS Ahluwalia today said declaring of development boards in Darjeeling Hills by chief minister Mamata Banerjee was in view of ensuing civic election.

Mr Ahluwalia also said the power to declare such boards has been vested to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

Mr Ahluwalia, who is also the MP from Darjeeling, said through declaring the boards, the state government was ignoring Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, which has been setup by the state government itself.

"In presence of the chief minister, the agreement to set up GTA was signed. Later a Bill was passed in West Bengal Assembly, which paved way for the formation of the Hill set up. As per the Constitution, GTA has the power to set up such boards. But the state government is declaring them," he alleged.

"It means that the government itself is ignoring its own Acts. Opposing this, Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) had moved the court. The development boards have been declared in view of the upcoming civic body election in the Hills. It is unfortunate and in violation of Constitutional rules," Mr Ahluwalia said on the sidelines of BJP meeting of Siliguri Organ¬isational District in Siliguri yesterday.

The state government has formed 15 development boards for different Hill communities in the past few years. The chief minister, during her recent tour in the Hills, had announced a development board for Darjeeling Hills-based minority groups comprising Muslim. Christian, Bengali and Hindi speaking people.

Talking about the pro-posed declaration of Kalimpong as a separate district, the Darjeeling MP said the party was in favour of creation of small districts.

However, the decision of the state government is to divide the Gorkha people, he added.

"If Kalimpong can be declared as a separate district for better administration then Siliguri, Kurseong, Gorubathan and other places should be made separate districts as well. But the decision has not been taken to ensure better administration, but to divide the Gorkha community," he added.

Chief minister Miss Banerjee is likely to declare Kalimpong as a separate district this month.

Meanwhile, Mr Ahluwalia said he had planned to organise 'Sansad Mela' in Darjeeling.

"The plan for the fair is underway. The purpose of the initiative is to spread awareness among the people about the policies and schemes of the Centre," he said.

He said a Passport Seva Laghu Kendra w ill be set up in Siliguri soon.

The Darjeeling MP said the BJP had been laying emphasis to strengthen the party base at the grassroot level.