CM pulls up officers for slow development work in N Bengal

MP, 22 November 2017, Siliguri: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed concern over the slow progress of work on its "Kanyashree" project for minor girls in North Bengal's three districts and said she had information that beneficiaries were not receiving their dues. 

Banerjee was interacting with district officials here at Uttarkanya, the mini-Secretariat of North Bengal, to take stock of development projects in Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar. 

"Kanyashree is the pride of Bengal. It has been acclaimed internationally. But the pace of implementation of the project is not up to expectations. Why is that so," the Chief Minister asked the District Magistrates (DM). 

The project, launched by the state government in 2013, is a cash transfer scheme aimed at retaining girls in schools and discouraging them from getting married before they are 18. Banerjee also asked the officials to keep vigil on border areas and take foolproof security measures. 

The Chief Minister expressed concern over the challenges faced by tea estates in Alipurduar and asked the DM to resolve the water crisis in the plantations. 

Banerjee also asked the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) of Jalpaiguri to cross-check facts before taking action against doctors of state-run medical establishments. 

"I have information that you recently show-caused many doctors of the Jalpaiguri Sadar Hospital. Before taking any punitive action against a person, you should hear his side of the story too," she said. 

Expressing concern over deaths in elephant attacks in Alipurduar, Banerjee said the district administration should frame a plan of action to prevent man-elephant conflicts. 

The CM also noted that 25,000 people were yet to get digital ration cards in Cooch Behar and directed the officials to expedite work on 100-day projects for employment generation in the rural belts. A meeting of top officials of all districts will be held on December 4 at Nabanna, the state Secretariat said.