During his first visit to northern Bengal since taking office as Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari stated on Wednesday that the BJP administration is committed to delivering on all the promises made during the recent Assembly election campaign.
Expressing gratitude to the residents of north Bengal for their unwavering support to the BJP since 2019, Adhikari initiated several new development projects for the region.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the newly established BJP government would represent nationalistic values and honor Indian traditions and culture. He remarked, “We are not merely seeking a change in the political party’s colors or the individuals in charge; we aim to transform the entire system.”
Adhikari asserted that the government intends to eliminate what he referred to as “syndicates,” a culture of “cut money,” and “mafia raj” from the state, promising that there would be no further “anti-national activities” in West Bengal.
While addressing supporters at the BJP office in northern Bengal, he claimed that citizens have already begun to experience the benefits outlined in the BJP’s election manifesto, or ‘sankalpa patra.’
Upon landing at Bagdogra Airport, Adhikari proceeded to the Uttar Kanya office of the North Bengal Development Department (NBDD) for an administrative meeting. He was warmly welcomed by Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, senior BJP officials, and numerous party supporters.
The Chief Minister announced that Nisith Pramanik, the Minister of the North Bengal Development Department, would hold administrative sessions at Uttar Kanya weekly.
Adhikari mentioned, “Our ministers will host a ‘Janata Darshan’ each week… Working in coordination with the administration, they will assess ongoing projects and ensure the successful implementation of all schemes across the north Bengal region.”
During his address at the BJP office, Adhikari reiterated the government’s commitment to establishing a new AIIMS, an IIT, and an IIM in north Bengal, as promised in the party’s manifesto, while also taking steps to enhance the living conditions of tea garden workers.
Following the administrative meeting, MP Raju Bista informed PTI that in addition to the AIIMS, an IIT, and an IIM, a cancer hospital would also be constructed in northern Bengal, with these institutions distributed across various districts.
Bista revealed that the Chief Minister directed the Tea Board chairman and other officials to analyze the Assam model for tea garden worker welfare and to identify potential challenges in implementing a similar model in West Bengal. He highlighted the significance of improving conditions for the more than five lakh people directly employed in the tea gardens and the 20 lakh indirect beneficiaries in the northern districts.
Furthermore, the government has announced the launch of the ‘Annapurna Yojana,’ which will double the financial assistance for women from Rs 1,500 under the previous Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme to Rs 3,000 monthly. The initiative also includes provisions for free travel for women on government buses throughout the state.
