Offer land voluntarily: Mamata to farmers

Reiterating that no land will be acquired from unwilling farmers, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today asked land owners to voluntarily offer a small plot of land to the state government for developmental projects.

“I will never acquire land from you forcibly. But I want you to volunteer and give a small plot of land to the state government for developmental projects.

“We want to set up anganwadi centres in the district. For that we need land. I request you to give a cottah of land, either from the premises of your house or your plot of land. In exchange for the plot, the government will help you in several ways. We have plans to set up 1,100 anganwadi centres in the district,” said Banerjee at a public meeting in Buniyadpur in South Dinajpur.

She said land owners could contact the Block Development Officers and District Magistrates if they wanted to give their land.

The Chief Minister said there were plans to set up 693 anganwadi centres in the area and 1,100 such centres in the district.

She also said a wagon factory will come up in the district soon. “We have plans to start four railway projects in the area which will generate employment. We have also spoken with the departments concerned to promote cottage industry and tourism in the area,” she added.

Banerjee also announced that the Balurghat Express, which runs thrice a week as of now, would run six days a week from September. “The Balurghat Express has been renamed Tebhaga Express. It will run six days a week for the convenience of the locals. We have spoken with the rail ministry on the issue,” she said.

“We will set up two multi-specialty hospitals in Gangarampur and Balurghat. We will also upgrade the existing hospitals in the district and set up blood banks here,” added Banerjee. She also said two new colleges would come in Kushmandi and Hilly area in the district.

Urging people to be honest, she said, “I have minimum needs. I have one room beside the room of my late mother. When I sleep, I think how fortunate I am that I have a shelter. At the same time, I feel sad to think that innumerable people spend nights without a roof.”