Government to hold Cabinet meetings in Hills, Jangalmahal

MP | 29 May 2017 | Kolkata: Taking a unique step, the Mamata Banerjee government has decided to hold four Cabinet meetings in the Hills and in Jangalmahal every year to ensure better administration.The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting held in Nabanna on Monday.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced in Nabanna that every year, two Cabinet meetings will be held in the Hills and two in Jangalmahal. The first Cabinet meeting of her government in the Hills will be held on June 8 in Darjeeling.

The Chief Minister has given clear instructions that tourists should not be inconvenienced in any way because of the Cabinet meeting being held in the Hills.

"This is peak season for tourism in Darjeeling, Terai and Dooars. Bookings made by tourists in hotels should not be cancelled. Thus, a decision was taken that no minister should try to stay in Darjeeling. However, there would be no problem if someone can manage to arrange accommodation there without cancelling the bookings of any tourists.

Journalists who will be going to cover the meeting will also have to make arrangements for accommodation in Siliguri," said the Chief Minister.

The Cabinet meeting will be held at Raj Bhavan in Darjeeling. Accommodation for some senior ministers could be managed in Darjeeling itself.

Trinamool Congress has "established democracy" in the Hills by winning the Mirik Municipality election and steps taken by the Chief Minister have ensured both peace and development in the Hills.

Now, the initiative to hold Cabinet meetings in the Hills is a "big step" as it would make it easier to sort out and solve the problems of the Hills.

In the '70s, Siddhartha Roy used to hold Cabinet meetings in the Hills and other districts. After four decades, the Mamata Banerjee-government has once again revived the old practice to assess the problems of the Hills by visiting the place.

Similarly, Cabinet meetings will also be held in Jangalmahal, which covers parts of five districts – Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and West Midnapore.

Banerjee had initiated the practice of holding district administrative review meetings in districts to take stock of the progress of ongoing developmental projects to assess what more could be done to ensure overall development of the region.