Mamata to offer bpl cards to all tribal families in jangalmahal

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Wednesday that her government will provide BPL cards to all the tribal families living in Maoist-infested Jangalmahal. This will help the tribal families in this region to avail of several civic amenities at cheaper rate.

Mamata also announced that her government will purchase Kendu leaf from the poor tribals in order to pay them proper price to help them earn their livelihood. Kendu leaf is required to manufacture bidis.

The chief minister was addressing a government function at Sarenga in Bankura district on Wednesday which was the second day of her stay in Jangalmahal. Bankura is a part of Jangalmahal which comprises two other districts of West Midnapore and Purulia.

The chief minister held a meeting at Sarenga which was a Maoist den a few years back. The Maoists had killed three policemen in Sarenga in January 2009. A Trinamool Congress leader was also killed in the area a few months back. Naturally, security arrangements were beefed up in the run-up to the chief minister’s function in Sarenga. The state’s chief secretary Samar Ghosh and home secretary G D Gautama were also present at the function along with senior state police officials.

Mamata also announced that her government will upgrade 48 secondary schools in Bankura district to the level of higher secondary schools. She also said that a high madrasa will be set up at Simlipal in Bankura district. "A blood bank will be set up at the Khatra sub-divisional hospital in the Bankura district," the chief minister announced. She also said new colleges will be established at Baital, Joyrambati, Kotulpur and Indus in the same district.

The chief minister also urged the people of Bankura to allow her some time (at least six months) to fulfil the commitments she had made on Wednesday. "The previous Left Front government did nothing for the tribal population. The previous government has left a debt burden of Rs 2,03,000 crore and we have to calculate every moment how we will pay the salaries to our employees," Mamata said.

"I shall come back to you after six months to find out the progress of the work which I have mentioned today," the chief minister said.

"I have been told that doctors are unwilling to come to Jangalmahal. Our government will arrange accommodation for those physicians who will be deputed in Jangalmahal.