State holds review meet with various development boards in Hills

DARJEELING: Emphasis was given to “transparency in functioning, ” in the review meeting held between Chairmen, Member Secretaries of different development boards of the Darjeeling Hills with Sanjay Kr. Thadey, Officer on Special Duty, Backward Class Welfare and Tribal Development (BCWTD) department, Government of West Bengal in Darjeeling on Friday.

Incidentally, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had created 15 different community development and cultural boards in the Hills under the BCWTD department. Along with preserving the unique culture and tradition of these communities the welfare boards are to work for the all round development of the respective communities.

The development boards have undertaken various projects, including building houses for beneficiaries from their communities. Representatives of the Lepcha, Limbu, Sarki, Bhujel, Khas, Mangar, Kami, Damai and Tamang development boards attended the meeting in which district administrative officials including the DMs and SPs of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts along with officials from the

Gorkhaland Territorial Administration including the GTA Principal Secretary S. Ponnambalam were present.

Sources stated that the meeting discussed utilisation certificates of funds allotted; geo-tagging; audit related issues and balance funds. “It was an administrative review meeting. Among other things, transparency in projects was discussed along with guidelines for various projects. Proper list of details of projects undertaken has to be submitted to concerned departments,” stated Navin Mangar, Chairman, Mangar Development and Cultural Board.