CM arrives in North Bengal, to chair administrative meetings on Sept 29-30

This visit is of immense significance opine political observers and is aimed at sending out a clear message the degree of priority that Banerjee gives to North Bengal. 

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 29.09.20 |  Darjeeling: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived at North Bengal on Monday on a three day visit. This visit is of immense significance opine political observers and is aimed at sending out a clear message the degree of priority that Banerjee gives to North Bengal. 

She is being accompanied by Aroop Biswas and Indranil Sen. The Chief Minister will be chairing administrative meetings of the Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts on September 29 and for Cooch Behar, Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts on September 30. Review of the Covid-19 situation is expected to top the charts. 

Anit Thapa, Chairman, GTA along with Binoy Tamang, former Chairman will also be present in the administrative review meeting on September 30. There are various issues of the GTA including granting of land documents for tea garden workers and forest villages; Minimum wages for tea garden workers; Regularisation of adhoc workers of the GTA and pay band for adhoc workers of Hill civic bodies that could feature in the discussions. 

With the BJP fast making inroads in North Bengal, the visit is being viewed as an attempt to consolidate the TMC party base in North Bengal along with the GJM alliance in the Hills. 

Off late the TMC leaders of North Bengal have been busy welcoming supporters from other political parties into the TMC fold. 

Asok Bhattacharjee, veteran CPI(M) leader, Siliguri MLA and Chairman, Board of Administrators, Siliguri Municipal Corporation has been invited for the administrative review meeting for September 30th. This is for the first time that he is being invited. 

On the sidelines of her official schedule, Banerjee will be holding meetings with the TMC party leaders of North Bengal and political ally GJM (Binay faction,) to take stock of the present political situation of the North Bengal districts and to chart out future course of action as a run up to the 2021 Assembly elections. 

Other than this the stakeholders of the tourism industry have been seeking an appointment with the Chief Minister to urge her to help get the industry back on track. Owing to the pandemic the tourism industry, the economic mainstay of this region, has suffered a major blow. 

However, the pandemic shadow loomed on the Chief Minister's trip this time. Owing to Covid-19 the restriction on movement was evident, with crowds being avoided as much as possible. Even public representatives, administrative and police top brass along with political leaders will not be meeting her in large groups. 

The Chief Minister will be staying in Kanyashree located in the compound of Uttarkanya, the mini secretariat, located on the fringes of Siliguri town. She will be departing for Kolkata on October 1. 

The Chief Minister had last visited Siliguri in January this year. She had also taken part in the birth anniversary commemoration of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in Darjeeling on January 23.

(Courtesy & source- Millenium Post- http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/cm-arrives-in-north-bengal-to-chair-administrative-meetings-on-sept-29-30-419617)