West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that her government was planning to make Asansol-Durgapur a full-fledged district by bifurcating Burdwan district.
Two months ago, citing better policing, the state government had made a separate Asansol-Durgapur Commission-erate. Before leaving for Bolpur for her Birbhum visit, she said she had major plans for Durgapur. “We will develop this industrial town along with Haldia. The coal belt has already been cleaned of coal mafia. The Steel Authority of India Ltd. has plans for the expansion of the Durgapur Steel Plant at a cost of `20,000 crores,” she added.
The chief minister, who had chaired administrative meetings in Bankura and Purulia districts on Friday, held similar meetings in Birbhum and Burdwan districts. The meeting at Birbhum was held at Bolpur instead of the district headquarters Suri. Ms Banerjee said: “Our government will not run from Writers’ Buildings in Kolkata. We bring mini Writers’ to every district for more effective governance.” In the Bolpur meeting and later in subsequent meetings at Burdwan, she told the district administration that they must ensure fertiliser is not sold in black market and also that farmers receive adequate support price for paddy and potatoes.
She emphasised the need for setting up cold storages and agricultural marketing centres in every block. “We are also setting up blood banks in every block and arranging crop insurance and farm loans for the farmers. Twenty-five primary schools, 282 upper primary and madrasas and some polytechnics will also be opened in Birbhum,” she added.
She took important measures for the upgradation of Santiniketan. After touring North Bengal, she has been visiting various districts of south Bengal. CPI(M) state secretary Biman Bose said in Delhi: “She might be having problem in walking, so she is undertaking car visits to different districts of the state and coming back.”