Bengal to carve out seven new districts

West Bengal is set to get seven new districts with the cabinet giving its nod to the proposal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday. The new districts -- Berhampore, Kandi, Sunderbans, Bashirhat, Ichamati, Ranaghat and Bishnupur -- will take the total number to 30.

"The state cabinet okayed the proposal today," Banerjee told reporters here.

"The decision was taken to ensure smooth administrative operations," a senior official of the state government said.