GTA seeks Rs 575cr from state, Delhi - Review meeting to discuss demand for cash for hill body’s infrastructure

(From left) Morcha assistant secretary and GTA executive Sabha member 

Jyoti Kumar Rai, party general secretary Roshan Giri and Kalimpong municipality 

chairperson LB Pariyar in  Calcutta  on Tuesday. Picture by Amit Datta

Vivek Chhetri, TT, April 30: A GTA Sabha delegation visiting Calcutta today demanded Rs 575 crore from the Centre and the state government to put in place the administrative infrastructure of the hill body.

The demand for the funds was placed at a meeting between the six-member delegation of the hill autonomous body and state chief secretary Sanjay Mitra and home secretary Basudeb Banerjee.

The GTA memorandum of agreement signed by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the central and state governments to establish the GTA has a provision for a one-time financial assistance to set up the administrative infrastructure.

“The Centre and the state had agreed to grant a one-time financial assistance to set up GTA secretariat building, Sabha house and offices and quarters for both members and officials of the GTA in the memorandum of agreement. Today, we submitted a proposal from the GTA to the state government saying we would need Rs 575 crore for the project,” Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said over phone after the meeting.

The provision in the GTA memorandum of agreement reads: “The Government of India/ State Government will provide one time financial assistance required for development of administrative infrastructure viz., GTA Sabha House, Secretariat Complex and the residential quarters for the elected members of GTA and the senior officers.”

Giri, who led the Morcha delegation, also said the demand for Rs 575 crore had already been conveyed to the Centre.

“The chief secretary was of the opinion that since the Centre, too, had to bear the expenses as per the agreement, the matter should be discussed at the next review meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Darjeeling in mid-May,” said Giri.

The review meetings, attended by GTA members and officials of the state government and the Union home ministry, are held to look into the functioning of the hill body.

The last review meeting was held in Delhi on December 26, 2012.

During today’s meeting, the state government assured the Morcha delegation that R.D. Meena, the new principal secretary of the GTA, would take charge in the first week of May.

“We have been told to send a proposal through the principal secretary once he assumes charge for setting up a subordinate selection board, which will be responsible for carrying out recruitment in the GTA,” Giri said.

The board will take care of the recruitment of Group B, C and D employees of the GTA and there is a provision for the same in the MoA.

“The Bengal government will also issue a notification soon on setting up a separate school service and college service commissions for the GTA area,” said Giri.

The delegation also asked the government to transfer the administration of 18 mouzas in the Terai to the GTA completely.

“The state government has mentioned that it will ensure that transfer of schools, panchayat offices and health centres from the 18 Terai mouzas which have been brought under the GTA will take place soon,” said Giri.