GTA administrator holds first meeting, reviews development schemes

DARJEELING,: The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) on Friday held his first meeting since appointment of new administrator and discussed various development schemes to be undertaken by the GTA, with suggestions sought from the elected Sabashads who have not resigned.

Following the resignation of several members of the GTA including its chief executive, an administrative vacuum had emerged, severely disrupting development projects across this region after which an administrator was chosen for the body.

Speaking after the meeting, the newly appointed GTA administrator, Smrutiranjan Mohanty, said, “In the meeting today we put forward all the development schemes that will be undertaken by the GTA and have asked for suggestions and engagement of the GTA Sabha regarding the matter.”

He said the West Bengal government has sanctioned an annual budget of Rs. 360 crore for the GTA, which includes funds for road repairs and construction.

Plans for utilisation of funds across different sectors was placed in the meeting today and work on road-related projects will begin soon, he said.

The administrator also said the tender process for projects under the Disaster Relief Fund allocated by the State government in the first phase had begun.

Around Rs. 48 crore has been earmarked for various schemes, including works related to schools, bridges and roads, he said.

Mohanty said the GTA Sabha members would have an advisory role and their suggestions would be taken into consideration.

“As per the State gazette notification I was chosen as the administrator so that work could move forward here as there was a vacuum here after the chief executive along with others resigned from their posts. However, we want to move forward with the GTA Sabha who will play an advisory role,” he said.

“We are looking at progressive development as they are public representatives and we will move forward with them,” he added.

Suggestions would also be sought from local MLAs, the MP and the district administration, Mohanty said.

He described the arrangement as an interim one and said the future of the GTA would be known in the coming days following discussions with the State government.

GTA Sabhasad Binoy Tamang, who attended the meeting, said several proposals that had been pending were discussed and the elected representatives offered suggestions on various issues.

“The GTA administrator was appointed here after a stalemate in the GTA. There were many proposals pending in the GTA which we agreed to, even giving suggestions on different issues,” Tamang said.

Tamang emphasized that although they “reject” the GTA, they had taken part in its functioning as they were still the elected representative as long as the body existed. He said the resignations of the chief executive and several others had resulted in an administrative crisis in the hill body.