To demand more funds for Corporation area, Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb, who was the former North Bengal Development Department (NBDD) minister, today held a meeting with the present NBDD minister, Udayan Guho, at Uttarkanya today. According to official sources, it was decided that the NBDD would allot funds of Rs 20 crore to bring in development in Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) area and the same amount of funds would be allocated for Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad (SMP) area for implementing various proposed projects in rural belt.
Following this decision, the NBDD has taken up some proposed projects for SMC area but practically the total cost of those projects is Rs 18.80 crore but the estimated cost of projects for SMP area is more than Rs 20 crore. As a result Mr Deb today requested Mr Guho to allot more funds for the proposed projects for SMC area. When asked to comment, the NBDD minister Udayan Guho said: “It was decided that the NBDD would implement the proposed projects in SMC area and estimated cost of those schemes would be Rs 20. But practically the total estimated cost of the projects, which we have taken up, was Rs 18.80 crore and it was less than the estimated cost of the projects for the SMP area.” “Mr Deb has demanded that the NBDD should build an important bridge in SMC area.
As we have decided to build at least two bridges in each district in North Bengal in this financial year, as a result his proposal for a bridge has accepted,” Mr Guho said. Speaking to the reporters, Siliguri Mayor Mr Deb said the NBDD has taken up several development schemes in SMC area. Four of them have been completed. Other projects are under process. “The NBDD has agreed to build an important bridge at ward no 34 in SMC area. With this bridge the estimated cost of the projects is more than Rs 20 crore,” Mr Deb said, adding, “The NBDD has allotted Rs 5 crore to develop Munshi Prem Chand College in SMC area.”