Mamata bats for peace in Hills, announces slew of dev projects

Amitava Banerjee  |  MP |  13 July 2022  | Darjeeling: "Have faith in me. I do not come here to create obstacles or to confront anyone. I come here with the message of love. I have only one interest—peace, development and progress of the Hills. If you ensure peace in the Hills, development, economic empowerment and employment opportunities will definitely follow," was Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's clarion call to the Darjeeling Hills on Tuesday. 

The Chief Minister attended the swearing-in ceremony of the 45 elected Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) members (Sabhasads) a
t the Darjeeling Chowrasta on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering she made several important announcements. "Darjeeling is getting very congested. 

There are many hawkers on the streets. If we can make satellite townships with industrial hubs, homestays, shopping complexes, schools, IT hubs it will help decongest the Hill towns and well as keep the livelihoods intact of these hawkers. Such townships will come up in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong. 

In Mirik we will have eco-tourism projects. I have invited Anit Thapa and others to come to Kolkata. They can meet the Chief Secretary and draw up a plan regarding this," stated Banerjee. 

She added that 200 acres of land is available in Darjeeling which can be used for this purpose. 

She pointed out that in the last 10 years, the state government had given Rs.7,000 crore to the GTA, but there was hardly anything to show for it. 

Banerjee stated that with the return of peace, tourism which leads to economic development has returned with a bang. 

"I request the Chief Secretary to make necessary amendments to existing laws whereby families of tea garden workers can be allowed to run homestays in the tea gardens. The modalities for this have to be worked out," stated the Chief Minister. 

This is being seen as a major step towards empowerment of the grassroots as till now only owners of tea gardens were allowed to run resorts in the leased lands of the tea gardens. "We can even ask star category hotels to impart training to such workers as part of their Company Social Responsibility (CSR) activity," opined Banerjee. 

The Chief Minister announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh and a job for the next of kin for the martyrs who lost their lives in the killer landslide of Manipur recently. There are 12 from Darjeeling and Kalimpong; 1 from Jalpaiguri, and 1 each from North 24-Parganas and South 24-Parganas. 

The Chief Minister stressed on the need for diversification. "We can promote coffee plantations, citronella, lemon grass cultivation. We will have an orchid export hub here. If there is peace, I can request IT companies to invest in the Hills," assured Banerjee. 

She stated that there will be skill development centres in Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik. "By end of 2024 there will be drinking water supply in every household in the Hills," assured Banerjee. She also promised a Hill University at Mungpoo and a Presidency College campus in Kurseong. 

Stressing on women's empowerment, she stated that women's Self Help Groups (SHGs) can run homestays as well as transport businesses. "We can give them soft loans. They can diversify into bottling spring water which is in great demand," stated Banerjee. 

The Chief Minister lauded all political parties for the recently concluded GTA elections. "Never have the Hills witnessed such peaceful elections. I now request all the 45 members who have been elected to the GTA to forget their party affiliation and work together for Darjeeling," advised the Chief Minister. 

Courtesy & source: 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/mamata-bats-for-peace-in-hills-announces-slew-of-dev-projects-485679