Hill business meet in March

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Feb 21, 2018, Darjeeling: Darjeeling will play host to the first ever business meet in March and chief minister Mamata Banerjee will be present in the hills for the second time in little more than a month.

The meet, which is being organised jointly by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and the state government, is being showcased as a major step in ushering investment in the hills where capital flow has so far been limited to tea and tourism sectors.

Binay Tamang, the chairman of the board of administrators of the GTA, said: "For the first time in the hills, an industrialist meet will be held in Darjeeling on March 13 and 14. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the event at 2pm on March 13. She will also be present on the closing day."

A GTA delegation will be leaving for Calcutta next week to chalk out the details of the event. Along with Mamata, state finance minister Amit Mitra and his cabinet colleagues will be present at the event.

"The name of the event, details of the delegates and the venue will be finalised after the Calcutta meeting," said Tamang.

Tamang had attended the Bengal Global Business Summit in Calcutta in January.# "Top industrialists from across the country had expressed wish to visit Darjeeling for such a summit during my interaction with them at the Calcutta event. I would express my gratitude to the chief minister for ensuring that the meet is held in Darjeeling," said Tamang.

He said the GTA was looking at showcasing every possible potential available in the hills. "From tea, tourism to agro industry, food processes, horticulture, IT and medicinal plants, the hills have much to offer. Most of our educated youths are forced to leave homes for lack of opportunity. We are focused on this event and we are hoping to attract investment to the region," said Tamang.

The GTA believes that land would not be much of a problem. "There is land available if we can draw up a proper plan. Land is available with the cinchona plantations, some tea gardens area also sick. What is needed most is good intent," said Tamang.

"For this the most important thing is to ensure peace in the hills."

Cinchona plantation, a state government undertaking is spread over an area of 26,000 acres and vast stretches of its land are unused.