Give special status, financial package to Siliguri: Civic body

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 15 March 2022 | Darjeeling: The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) adopted a resolution to write to the Union Government to declare Siliguri as a town of national importance and to provide a special economic package for infrastructure development and maintenance. 

Following a board meeting of the SMC on Monday, Mayor Gautam Deb stated: "Siliguri is a very important town. It is the only region surrounded by four international borders as well as national borders. It is strategically important, the gateway to the North East." 

He stated that Nathula, the border with China, is a at the doorstep along with international borders with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. 

"We have witnessed the Chinese aggression of 1962, Indo-Pak war of 1965 and Bangladesh war of 1971. The population growth of the town is second highest in the country," stated Deb. 

The Mayor stated that owing to all these reasons the West Bengal government has given top priority to Siliguri and the Darjeeling district. She has been constantly demanding a tax holiday for the mountain region of the state, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong along with special packages for the GTA region. 

"However, the Centre has turned a deaf ear. We will write to the Centre through the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department demanding a 'town of national importance' tag for Siliguri and a special package for infrastructure development and maintenance of the town. A part of all direct tax, GST, Income tax should be returned by the Centre. We will send a detailed proposal to the Centre for this," added Deb. 

In another development sources claimed that the Hamro Party has chosen Ritesh Portel of ward 31 as Chairman and Yangzi Sherpa of ward 25 as Vice-Chairperson of the Darjeeling Municipality. Portel will be sworn in on March 15. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/give-special-status-financial-package-to-siliguri-civic-body-471223