DHR monetisation plan draws mixed reaction in Hills

SNS, DARJEELING, 25 AUGUST 21 : With the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway's (DHR) Toy Train featuring in the list of state-owned assets to be monitised by the central government, political parties here today gave a mixed reaction, with some pro- BJP leaders supporting the idea and those in the opposition speaking against such privatisation.

The National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) was launched by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday, wherein the Indian government plans to monetise Rs 6 lakh crore worth of state-owned assets over the next four years. which would mean "selling" of the assets that have been listed in it.

Commenting on the development, the general secretary of the Gurkha Jan Mukti Morcha, Roshan Giri, said, "We are against the privatisation of the DHR and do not want it to be monetised."

Speaking on the same lines, GJM-2 spokesperson Keshav Raj Pokhrel said, "The DHR is a pride of Darjeeling and it is due to it that tourists all over the world visit here. We are against this step of the government and want them to rethink on it. The MP can not do anything but only sell everything. Similarly, they have not done anything for the hills but are now selling the DHR."

"After privatization, the condition of the DHR could be like that of the Rangeet tea garden here. Moreover, what about the houses that are near railway lines? If privatisation is done then there are chances of them being removed, which we will not allow," he said.

On the other hand, Darjeeling's BJP MLA Neeraj Zimba said he does not have much knowledge on the development at the moment, but that privatisation was a .'good policy."

"It is being done for the benefit of the people. "Assets which are non-profitable and area burden to the government are being privatized," he said.

However the central government has specifically mentioned that the ownership of the assets would remain with the government and that the private sector would have to hand them back to the government after a certain period of time. The government has further said that the heritage status of some of the assets would have to be preserved by whoever takes them over.