Anit Thapa in Calcutta to meet Mamata

 During the current financial year, the GTA’s state plan budget has been fixed at Rs 206 crore

Anit Thapa, File picture

Vivek Chhetri   |   TT  |  Darjeeling   |  30.01.23 : Gorkhaland Territorial Administration chief executive Anit Thapa on Sunday left for Calcutta for a meeting with Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the visit assuming significance at a time Opposition leaders are raising the pitch against the hill body and raking up the Gorkhaland demand after five years.

Thapa was accompanied by GTA Sabha deputy chairman Rajesh Chauhan.

“I will meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee in Calcutta and will basically discuss issues related to the GTA,” Thapa told The Telegraph over the phone from Calcutta, but did not specify the date Thapa .

Sources said that the GTA has not been able to complete many projects because of inadequate funds.   “The state plan budget fund earmarked for the GTA was not fully allocated from the financial year 2014-15 to 2017-18. The hill body also received only Rs 133.75 crore against the budget allocation of Rs 175 crore for the year 2021-22,” said a source.

During the current financial year, the GTA’s state plan budget has been fixed at Rs 206 crore.

“Many projects such as the ropeway between Giddapahar near Kurseong to Rohini tourism complex have not been completed as an additional sum of around Rs 5.9 crore is needed,” said a source.

On Sunday, Hamro Party president Ajoy Edwards, who is an elected GTA Sabha member, said: “The GTA is unable to take up development work in a proper manner. Earlier, around 100 youths from the hills would be enrolled in nursing institutions every year, but this academic year because of a change in admission policy only around 20 have received admissions. Yet, the GTA cannot take up this issue with the Bengal government.”

Asked if he and his party’s elected GTA Sabha members would resign from the hill body that they were currently criticising, Edwards said their “strategy would be revealed at the right time”.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Bimal Gurung, Edwards and other hill leaders like Binay Tamang have already formed the Bharatiya Gorkhaland Sangharsha Samiti to pursue the demand.

Sources said that Thapa is banking on the development agenda to counter the present political churning in the hills.

“In places where Opposition leaders are camping, the BGPM leaders are planning to go with development packages. Funds, however, are a major issue” said a source.

Gurung is currently camping in Pokhriabong.

The hills are also scheduled to go for rural polls after a gap of nearly 20 years in the next few months.

“It is clear that Thapa’s meeting with Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will be very important,” said an observer of hill politics.

Thapa has maintained that unlike many hill leaders, he has no qualms in admitting that he is working very closely with the Trinamul-led state government. Trinamul does not want any division of Bengal.

“I have not lied to the hill people and have always maintained that I am working closely with the state government. I even fought the GTA elections with this message last year and we managed a comfortable win,” said Thapa.

Courtesy & source- The Telegraph