Minister panel for north projects

TT, Siliguri, Aug. 25: Ministers from north Bengal, along with some MLAs and MPs of Trinamul, held an administrative meeting at Uttarkanya today to discuss different government projects and programmes taken up in the region.

Minister Aroop Biswas, who was present at the meeting, told newspersons Mamata Banerjee had formed a 15-member committee of ministers like Rabindranath Ghosh, Gautam Deb and other members of the cabinet who are from north Bengal.

"Gautam Deb has been made convener of the 15-member committee which has other ministers of north Bengal and some MLAs and MPs as members. The committee has been formed to expedite development work taken up by the state in north Bengal. The chief minister is putting impetus on the region and want all the seven districts to move forward in terms of infrastructure and implementation of schemes," Biswas said.

"The committee will sit once in a fortnight to take a stock of the situation, make assessments on progress of ongoing projects and performances of districts in extending benefits to people," he added.

Deb's selection as the convener of this committee is a new development, administrative sources said.

"The committee will monitor the projects in north Bengal. It is interesting that though major development work was taken up by north Bengal development department which has been formed back in 2011, this new committee has been formed to monitor work of all departments. Also, Deb and not north Bengal development minister Rabindranath Ghosh has been made the convener. This is significant," a source said.

It may be mentioned that following back-to-back defeats of Trinamul in civic, rural and Assembly polls in Siliguri and Darjeeling district in the past one year, the state leadership had expressed anguish over district leaders, including Deb.

In November last year, Deb was removed from the district president's post.

Again, as Mamata formed her state cabinet on May, Deb's portfolio was changed. He was made the new tourism minister while Rabindranath Ghosh was handed over the charge of north Bengal development.

"However, in past one and half months, Deb has managed to regain the confidence of state leaders and also of Mamata Banerjee. That is why he was first reinstated in the district president's post and now, convener of this important committee," party insiders said.