Deb plans to showcase Siliguri work Siliguri, Dec. 30: North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb today said he would hold a series of conventions across Siliguri to apprise people of development works carried out by his department, Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority and Siliguri Municipal Corporation. The announcement has been interpreted by rival parties as a move to woo voters ahead of the SMC polls that are likely to be held in April. Deb, while speaking at a news conference at Uttarkanya here this afternoon, said: We will hold at least seven citizens conventions. I will be present as the chairman of SJDA and will highlight the ongoing projects and those completed in the civic area since 2011. There will be elaborate power point presentations to apprise people of our achievements and development work. We will also explain why some projects, taken up by our government, could not be started or have remained unfinished. He added: People should have a clear idea about what the state government and agencies like the SJDA and SMC are doing. It is unfortunate but true that despite having an elected board since 2009 till August this year, the civic body could take up development work only in past four months, that is, after the administrators took charge. Deb said the first convention would be held at Dinabandhu Mancha here on January 7, followed by similar conventions at Pradhannagar, New Jalpaiguri, Burdwan Road and Khalpara. Other venues would be decided in due course. All the conventions would be held by February 15 next year, Deb added. Rival political parties have labelled the move as a political campaign using government machinery and funds. Former minister and CPM leader Asok Bhattacharya said: By planning such conventions, the minister is simply trying to carry out a political campaign of his party in a clandestine manner, using government machinery and funds. They must also speak about the SJDA scam and other scandals as they do not have anything else to speak about. District BJP leaders spoke on similar lines. There is no doubt that it is a political campaign designed by the minister and his party colleagues by using his post in the state cabinet and in the SJDA. We condemn such attempts and want him and other Trinamul leaders to come clear and campaign openly under partys banner, a senior BJP leader said. The SMC polls are due since September, while the three-tier SMP polls are due since June. Deb sought to refute rivals charges. If the decision (to hold conventions) is interpreted as a campaign for the upcoming polls, we have nothing to say. But we would not drop the decision as the conventions would also expose the fallacy, incompetence and vested interests of some people who have posed deterrents to Siliguris development process. He added that projects worth around Rs 100 crore were being taken up in the SMC area. Around 80 per cent of these have finished. On January 20, some new projects would be launched by the chief minister at the inaugural function of Uttarbanga Utsav. Construction, repair and widening of roads are almost complete. Construction of the Siliguri Gate near Darjeeling More has commenced. We intend to finish it by March next year. TT
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 04:57:22 +0000
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