Minister announces plan to develop five Himalayan cities in North Bengal

PRASHANT ACHARYA

SILIGURI, : BJP leader and West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul on Saturday announced plans to develop five towns in north Bengal, viz. Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik, Kalimpong and Siliguri, as “Himalayan Cities” to boost tourism, trade and overall development in the region.

Paul, who was in Siliguri for the first time after being sworn in as a cabinet minister, said the initiative would be taken up with immediate effect.

She chaired a review meeting at Uttarkanya with Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, MLAs, district officials and public representatives from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts.

During the meeting, Paul said strict measures would be taken to improve infrastructure, cleanliness, parking facilities and traffic management. She also said a probe would be initiated into alleged irregularities in the collection of parking fees by the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC).

The minister reviewed issues related to municipal affairs, women and child development, social welfare and disaster management with senior officials of the north Bengal administration.

Discussions were held on municipalities and municipal corporations, the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), drainage, sewerage, solid waste management, hygiene, traffic management, disaster preparedness and mitigation, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Anganwadi centres, social welfare schemes and the Annapurna Yojana, among other subjects.

Addressing the meeting, Bista said the issues discussed were crucial for the Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars regions.

“Efficient municipal services, proper drainage, waste management and traffic regulation are essential for a tourism-dependent region like ours. Better disaster preparedness is necessary to protect people from floods and landslides that frequently affect the area," he said.

Bista alleged that disaster mitigation and management had been neglected by the previous Trinamool Congress government.

He also stressed the importance of strengthening ICDS and Anganwadi services and ensuring effective implementation of social welfare schemes for women and marginalised communities.

Paul said Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal had extended support for the proposed development of Siliguri and the hill towns, which she said would help boost tourism, trade, the tea industry and the regional economy.