3 Sep, 2012, 05.11PM IST,
by Debasis Sarkar,ET Bureau
SILIGURI: The demand of Special North East Council(NEC) kind of benefits for northern part of West Bengal, adjoining to NEC state Assam or Sikkim, is gaining fresh momentum.
After commercial organizations in North Bengal, the newly formed administrative body for Darjeeling hills Gorkha Territorial Administration has also started demanding the same for Darjeeling hills.
A delegation of top commercial organizations of North Bengal has reiterated this demand straight to the CM Miss Mamata Banerjee. The CM has also committed to take it up with center.
On the other side, the demand has already been taken to the president Mr. Pranab Mukherjee and union Home Minister Mr. S K Shinde by GTA Chairman Mr. Bimal Gurung.
Designed initially for the North Eastern states, the policy offers Tax Holiday, Capital Subsidy, transportation subsidy or many other benefits to new entrepreneurs investing in these industrially backward states.
As the youngest member of NEC, Sikkim can offer these benefits since 2002. In 1996, the Centre adopted a policy to earmark at least 10% of annual budgets of all central ministers to be utilized in northeastern states.
"Despite not being within North East region, with similar socio-economy and physical characteristics, North Bengal deserves similar benefits," said Mr. S. Bose, General Secretary, Siliguri Marchent's Association. Mr. R G Jajodia, Spokesman CII NB Chapter also echoed the same.
"We have requested CM Miss Mamata Banerjee to explore the possibilities of getting the benefits for north Bengal that can facilitate establishment of big industries, create job here and in turn minimize the prevailing socio political unrests," said Mr. Jajodia.
"We have met the President and Union Home Minister to demand these benefits especially for Darjeeling under GTA," said Roshan Giri, GTA Executive member. The decade old demand of North Bengal commercial arena could not attract the attention of Mr. Pranab Mukherjee during his Finance Ministership. "It is not possible," he said straight when asked by ET earlier at Siliguri.
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