16 Hills community boards to be reconstituted for better work: CM
Times of India | 13 November 2024
Darjeeling: CM Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced a reconstitution of various ethnic Hills community boards in one to one-and-a-half months, to be overseen by a monitoring cell headed by Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) chief executive Anit Thapa.
The cell, among other things, would ensure timely audits of GTA accounts, Banerjee said. There are 16 such boards in the GTA area.
"A monitoring cell will be formed, headed by Thapa as chairman and Mirik Municipality head L B Rai as vice-chairman for monitoring, for audit checks and for better functioning," Banerjee said after a meeting with GTA executive members and board representatives, adding that the Darjeeling and Kalimpong district magistrates would be a part of the cell.
Banerjee said she had asked GTA to form four skill centres — in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik and Kurseong — to generate employment opportunity for Hills youth. "We are exploring ways to increase job opportunities for young people from the Hills. For this, I have asked GTA to come up with four skill centres, in which they can get jobs after three months of training. We are also going to organise job fairs, from where they could gain employment," she said.
The CM also announced state govt's decision to work with private partnership to construct a building in each Hills district that will have parking facilities and two floors dedicated for self-help groups to sell local produce.
"State govt has decided to look for space in each district, and has asked DMs to look for space," Banerjee said. The buildings will also have a community centre and movie theatre, she said.
Thapa said discussions were held with the CM on various matters — including issues like car parking, alternative roads, and pending tea garden pattas. He added that Gopal Lama — the alliance candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat — has been appointed chairman of the Tamang Development Board.