Gangtok, June 14: A Canadian woman volunteer working in a private school in Sikkim today lodged a complaint with police of Gangtok alleging that the institution’s director and a teacher often beat up the students.
Sara Antwis, 40, said she has recorded video clips of the teacher, Samir Tamang, chasing schoolchildren with a cane and of a student crying and showing his bruises. Corporal punishment is banned in schools.
“I was shocked to see the children are subjected to extreme physical punishment. They are beaten up regularly by the head of the school and a teacher. In two incidents, four students were beaten up,” said Antwis, who taught in Denjong Padma Choling Academy, a CBSE secondary school.
She said she filed the complaint with Gangtok police after the local Tikjuk police station in Pelling took no action. Antwis has named school director Sonam Yongda, and the teacher Samir in her complaint. Yongda said: “It is a lie to malign my image.”
“I lodged a police complaint on June 7. Three of the four children were taken for medical tests. I have a copy of the report that indicates bruises and welts. The (Tikjuk) police ignored my report,” Antwis said, adding that she has also written to the state child welfare commission.
शिक्षक प्रमुखको लापारवाहीको कारण बेहाल अवस्थामा चम्पामाया प्रथमिक पाठशाला
पहाड़को प्रथमिक पाठशालाहरु एका एक बन्द हुनुमा सरकार पक्ष दोषी छ कि शिक्षक-शिक्षिकाहरुको लापारवाही? किन दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को शैक्षिक स्तर दिनोदिन खस्किन्दै गइरहेको छ? प्रथमिक शिक्षा बाल-बालिकाहरुको निम्ति महत्तवपूर्ण हुँदा-हुँदै पनि किन आजसम्म पहाड़को शिक्षा व्यवस्थामा सुधार आउन सकिरहेको छैन?
राजनीति गर्दिनँ भन्नु पनि अर्को राजनीति होः हर्कबहादुर छेत्री
मेरो अधिकारक्षेत्रभित्र पाँच बर्षको लागि जनताको हितको काम गर् भनेर मलाई भोट हालेको हो नि। मलाई थाहा छ यसले जनताको धेरै हित हुन्छ। यसले जनताको हितसँगै पार्टीको पनि हित हुन्छ, आन्दोलनलाई पनि सहयोग पुर्याउँछ भनेपछि एकदम निसंकोच भनेर अघि बढ्न सक्छु म। म त्यही काम गर्दैछु।
बघिनी फेरि पुरानै खोरमा
‘समयले मानिसलाई कहाँ कहाँ पुर्याउँछ,,,,,,’ कुनै समय रेडियो नेपालबाट बजिरहने यो चर्चित गीतले मान्छेको जीवनमा प्रणयसम्बन्धको आरोह अवरोहले पार्ने प्रभावलाई सुन्दर ढंगले व्याख्या गरेको छ। यो लोकप्रिय गीतको यही एक हरफ कुनै राजनीतिकर्मीको जीवनसँग गाँसेर हेर्दा के उत्तर पाइएला?
साहित्य अनि सर्जकलाई माया गर्ने घिसिङ
80 को दशकमा देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूलाई जातित्वको भावना उत्पन्न गराउने प्रथम नेता सुवास घिसिङको निधनले अहिले घड़ी सम्पूर्ण दार्जीलिङ पहाड़ नै स्तब्ध बनेको छ। गोर्खाहरूका हित अनि अस्तित्वका निम्ति छुट्टै राज्यको बहस लिएर सुवास धिसिङले त्यसताक पहाड़का प्रत्येक गाँऊहरूको भ्रमण गरेका थिए। 22 जुन 1936 सालमा मिरिकको मञ्जु चियाबगानमा जन्म लिएरका सुवास घिसिङले आफ्नो तर्क राख्न एकलै जनसभा गर्थे। घिसिङले सम्पूर्ण गोर्खाहरूलाई एकै शुत्रमा बाँध्न "गोर्खाल्याण्ड" शब्दको जन्म गरेका थिए।
निराश छन् विधायक डा. छेत्री
“बजट सत्रमा के कुराहरू उठान गर्नु पर्ने भन्नेबारे हामीले जीटीएबाट कहिले फिडब्याक पाएका छैनौं” डा छेत्रीले भने। डा हर्कबहादुर छेत्री मोर्चाका प्रवक्ता हुन् अनि कालेबुङका जनप्रतिनिधि। दुइवटा महत्वपूर्ण पदमा बसेका डा छेत्रीलाई अहिलेसम्म जीटीएको बैठकमा निम्ताइएको छैन, पार्टीको राजनैतिक लाइनबारे उनीसँग चर्चा र छलफल नगरिएको त झन कति भयो, उनैलाई हेक्का छैन।
15 Jun 2013
14 Jun 2013
Push for poet B-day - GTA to celebrate Bhanu Jayanti
Darjeeling, June 13: The GTA Sabha is set to celebrate the birth anniversary of Bhanubhakta Acharya, fondly called adikavi (the first poet), who had been ignored by the erstwhile DGHC.
Binay Tamang, the executive GTA Sabha member in charge of information and cultural department, today said: “The information and cultural department of the GTA has decided to organise Bhanu Jayanti in a grand manner on July 13 this year.”
Bhanubhakta (1814-1868) is the most revered literary figure in the Nepali community and all schools, colleges and government offices declare a holiday in the hills to commemorate his birth anniversary on July 13. But the DGHC headed by GNLF leader Subash Ghisingh never celebrated the Nepali poet’s birthday because of political and ideological reasons.
The poet, who hailed from Chundi Ramgha near Pokhara in Nepal, had first translated Ramayana to Nepali from Sanskrit. Literary figures believe the translation helped popularise Nepali literature, following which the language developed, hence, the title adikavi.
In 1992, when a movement was launched for the inclusion of Nepali language in the eighth schedule of the Indian constitution, Ghisingh came up with a different demand. He wanted Gorkha language and not Nepali language to be included in the Constitution.
Even though Gorkha and Nepali are different names of the same language, Ghisingh insisted on the inclusion of the word “Gorkha language” instead of “Nepali language.” His stand was that Gorkha was the language spoken by Indian Nepalis and Nepali was the language of the citizens of Nepal.
As part of his propaganda, Ghisingh propped up another well-known literary figure Agam Singh Giri, who hails from Darjeeling.
Instead of commemorating Bhanubhakta’s birthday, the DGHC under Ghisingh started celebrating Giri Jayanti on December 27 from the mid-1990s and also instituted Giri Puraskar, a move seen to counter the literary award Bhanu Puraskar.
Bhanu Puraskar used to be given by the now defunct Nepali Academy under the Bengal government and soon after Ghisingh took control of the DGHC in 1988, the award was discontinued. It was only in 2002 that the state government took the initiative of reviving the Bhanu Puraskar under the aegis of Bangla Academy. However, the award is not being given since 2006,presumably because of the resumption of the Gorkhaland agitation.
Although several Nepali organisations would conduct different programmes to celebrate adikavi’s birthday, the DGHC avoided organising any event.
The state government also celebrated Bhanu Jayanti two-three times in the 1980s. In 2011, the government had after decades officially celebrated Bhanu Jayanti through the Darjeeling district information and cultural affairs department.
Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had then announced a grand celebration of Bhanubhakta ’s 200th birth anniversary in 2014.
The Centre used both the words Gorkha/Nepali while including the language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution on August 20, 1992.
Sources in the GTA said the first meeting on the Bhanu Jayanti celebrations was held in Darjeeling today. “We are thinking of organising an event either at Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan or at Chowrastha on July 13,” said a GTA official.
Lepcha honour for Mamata
Siliguri, June 13: The Lepchas in north Bengal will bestow the title of Kingtsoom Dartim or Bhagya Vidhata (bestower of good fortune) on chief minister Mamata Banerjee for announcing a board for the development of the community.
Members of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (ILTA) said the honour would be conferred on her at a ceremony in Siliguri on September 2. The programme is to commemorate the second anniversary of Mamata’s announcement to form the board on the same day in 2011.
“We have been neglected and subjugated for the past 400 years in our homeland. Banerjee is the first chief minister to announce the formation of the development board on September 2, (2011) barely three months after she assumed the post. We want to express our gratefulness to her by conferring the title of Kingtsoom Dartim, which means Bhaghya Vidhata on her,” said L.S. Tamsang, president of ILTA.
In February this year, an order was issued by the government to establish the Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board. Mayel Lyang means Land of Lepchas.
Lepchas are regarded as the original inhabitants of the Darjeeling hills and comprise 20 per cent of the population there.
The resolution mentions that the board will have 31 nominated members and it would function under the state backward classes’ welfare department. But since then, no development has taken place.
Asked about the delay, Tamang said: “We are sure that the order would be implemented. It might take some time but we are confident that it will be formed by the state.”
The ILTA plans to gather one lakh people from the community from different parts of the country for the event likely to be held at Baghajatin Park.
13 Jun 2013
पञ्चायत चुनाउ नै मौजा अन्तर्भुक्तिको मागमा निर्णायक
कालेबुङ, 12 जून।
यसचोटि हुन लागेको डुवर्सको पञ्चायत चुनाउको परिणामले नै जीटीएमा 396 वटा मौजा अन्तभुक्त गर्नुपर्ने मोर्चाको अडानलाई अन्तिम निर्णयमा पुर्याउनसक्छ। आज एक भेटमा मोर्चा प्रवक्ता एवं विधायक डा. हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीको भनाइबाट उपरोक्त आशय खुलिएको हो। डुवर्सको पञ्चायत चुनाउमा विजय भएको खण्डमा मोर्चालाई हुने राजनैतिक फाइदा अनि पराजय भएको खण्डमा भोग्नुपर्ने स्थितिबारे प्रश्न गर्दा उनले डुवर्सले पञ्चायत चुनाउमा मोर्चालाई भारी जनसमर्थन दिएको खण्डमा मौजा अन्तर्भुक्तिको मागमा धेरै फाइदा पुग्ने बताएका हुन्। उनले भने, मोर्चा डुवर्समा केवल राजनैतिक उद्देश्यले गएको होइन। डुवर्सलाई जीटीएमा अन्तर्भुक्त गर्नको निम्ति हामी आन्दोलित थियौं। यसपल्टको पञ्चायत चुनाउमा डुवर्सकै मानिसहरूमा धेर जिम्मेवारी छ। हामी त केवल उनीहरूलाई सङ्गठित गर्ने काम गर्दैछौं। उनीहरूले मोर्चालाई समर्थन गरेर धेरभन्दा धेर मत दिनसके त्यसले 396 वटा मौजाको मागलाई सघाउ पुग्ने उनले बताए। तर डुवर्सको राजनैतिक समिकरणलाई हेर्दा मोर्चाको बिजय सजिलो नरहेको जानकारहरूको मत छ। 396 वटा मौजामा जोन बारलापन्थी झारखण्ड मुक्ति मोर्चासित मिलेर गोजमुमोले उम्मेदवार दिने हो अथवा आफ्नै उम्मेदवार दिने भन्ने सम्बन्धमा डा. छेत्रीलाई अझसम्म जानकारी छैन। ‘आदिवासी अनि मोर्चामाझ भएको बैठकमा म थिइनँ यसैले केही भन्न सक्दिन’-उनले भने। उनले अझ भनेअनुसार, डुवर्समा जातीय अस्तित्वको पनि प्रश्न भएकोले राजनीतिभन्दामाथि उठेर कार्य गर्नु जरुरी छ। जीटीएमा पस्ने कि नपस्ने भन्ने प्रश्न पनि छ। त्यस्तो अवस्थामा दावी गरिएको मौजाहरूमा मोर्चाले जीत हासिल गरे सरकारअघि फेरि डुवर्समा मोर्चाको जनाधार छर्लङ्ग हुने भनाइ उनको छ। पहिलेबाट नै डुवर्सलाई विधायक विल्सन चाम्प्रामारीलाई जिताएर जनाधार देखाइसकेको गोजमुमोले घरिघरि आफ्नो जनाधार देखाउनुपर्ने वाध्यताबारे प्रश्न गर्दा उनले भने, त्यो समयमा जिताएकै हौं। तर त्यसबेला श्यामल सेन कमिटीले बद्मासी गर्यो। हामी बहुसंख्यक भएको ठाउँमा अल्पसंख्यकमा देखाएको छ। कमिटीको रिपोर्ट अन्यायपूर्ण थियो। यसैलै फ्याक्ट भेरिफिकेशन कमिटीले जमिनी यथार्थ बुझेर भेरिभेकिसन गर्नुपर्ने माग हामीले गरेका छौं। जहॉं क्याइरेटिया पुग्छ त्यहॉं पनि उनीहरूले मौजा दिन मन गरेको छैन। किनभने बङ्गालले एउटै पनि जमिन जीटीएलाई दिन चाहँदैन। उनले अझ भेनअनुसार, बङ्गालले जम्मै प्रकारले षड्यनत्र लगाएर पनि डुवर्सको भूभाग आफैसँग राख्न चाहन्छ। त्यसैले उनीहरूले श्यामल सेनलाई छानेको अनि फ्याक्ट भेरिफिकेशन कमिटीले झनै कामै नगरेको परिस्थिति रहेको उनले बताए। अहिले तृणमूल कङ्ग्रेसले पनि डुवर्समा आदिवासीसित मिलेर चुनाउ लड्नुे रणनीतिलाई षड्यन्त्रपूर्ण भन्ने निमिल्ने भन्दै राजनीतिमा साम, दाम, दण्ड. भेद जम्मै लागु हुने बताए।
सिक्किमको राजनीतिसित मोर्चालाई सरोकार छैन-डा. छेत्री
कालेबुङ, 13 जून।
सिक्किम विधानसभामा पारित भएको गोर्खाल्याण्को प्रस्ताव केन्द्र सरकारसम्म नपठाएको सन्दर्भमा भइरहेको विभिन्न टिका टिप्पणीहरूबीच आज मोर्चाका प्रवक्ता एवं विधायक डा. हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले प्रतिक्रिया जाहेर गरेका छन्। पत्रकारहरूको प्रश्नमा उनले अर्को राज्यको राजनीतिसँग आफूहरुलाई कुनै सरोकार नरहेको बताउँदै राजनीतिमा कुनै पनि बयानको सोझो अर्थ निकालेर टिप्पणी गर्नु ठीक नहुने बताए। उनले भने, सिक्किम सरकारले गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको प्रस्ताव पारित गर्यो। यसमा हामी खुशी छौं। एकाअर्काको भावनात्मक सम्बन्धलाई ध्यानमा राखेर सिक्किम सरकारले हामीलाई सघाएको हो। त्यसभन्दा उता सिक्किमले सघाएर पनि हाम्रो आन्दोलन अघि बढ्ने होइन। यो हामीले नै गर्नुपर्ने आन्दोलन हो। उनले अझ भनेअनुसार, सिक्किम सरकारलले गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव केन्द्र सरकारसमक्ष पठाएको छ छैन आफूलाई सत्यता थाहा नभएकोले टिप्पणी गर्न नमिल्ने बताए। ‘यो कुरा समाचार पत्रहरुमा छापामा आए पनि कति सत्य छ भन्ने मलाई थाह छैन’-पत्रकारहरूले सोधेको प्रश्नको जबाब दिँदै उनले भने। सिक्किम सरकारले गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव पारित गरेको थाहा पाएपछि आफूहरु खुशी भएको बताउँदै उक्त सघाव केवाल भावानात्मक सम्बन्धै कारण हो भनि जनाए। सिक्किमले नसघाएको खण्डमा पनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठन हुँदैन भन्ने कुरामा आफूलाई विश्वास नरहेको उनले बताए। अलग राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको निम्ति मोर्चाले अन्य राज्यहरुमा पनि गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव पारित गर्नुपर्छ भनेर विभिन्न राज्यका नेताहरुलाई भेट्ने कार्य गरेको थियो। यस सन्दर्भमा उनले उक्त कार्य केवल विभिन्न राज्यहरुमा छरिएर बसेका गोर्खाहरुलाई सङ्गठित पार्ने कार्य मात्र गरको जनाए। अहिलेघरी आफूहरु जनतालाई देखाएको सपना पुरा गर्नको निम्ति व्यस्त रहेको समयमा अन्य कुराहरुमा भुलिने फुर्सद नरहेको पनि उनले बताएका छन।
Morcha Dooars poll signal to Trinamul - Gurung okay for talks with ruling party but not Cong
Darjeeling, June 12: Bimal Gurung today said the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha was “open for talks” with the Trinamul Congress but categorically ruled out any understanding with the Congress in the panchayat elections in the Dooars.
Some observers in the hills said Gurung may not want to ruffle Trinamul’s feathers as he needs the state government’s co-operation to settle several demands of the hill people.
“Apart from the smooth functioning of the GTA, certain demands of the Morcha such as withdrawal of police cases against their supporters and waiving sales tax dues need the state government’s clearance. The party does not want to antagonise Mamata Banerjee,” said an observer.
The Morcha and John Barla’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are contesting the polls as allies in the Dooars. When Barla had earlier talked about tying up with Trinamul in non-tea garden areas in the Dooars, the Morcha opposed the move.
Barla and Trinamul, however, have worked out a pre-poll understanding.
Today Gurung said: “We have no problems with the JMM’s decision. They are in an alliance with us but then they are an independent entity also. If they want to tie up with the Trinamul also, it’s their decision.”
Asked about the Morcha’s stand on Trinamul, Gurung said: “What is the harm in talking to Trinamul? We are open for talks with them.”
He, however, ruled out talks with other parties such as the Congress and the CPM. When asked about the possibility of any tie-up with the Congress, Gurung said: “No.”
There is hardly scope of an alliance with the Congress before the panchayat elections as today was the last day to file nominations in the Dooars.
Gurung, who had gone to meet governor M.K. Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan here, did not clarify if he was talking about any post-election understanding.
Morcha sources said a tie-up with Trinamul would not be on seat-sharing but on post-election matters.
“However, talks could be on helping each other in taking control of gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and the zilla parishad,” said a source.
Quota denial finger at GTA in teacher jobs
Darjeeling, June 12: The Nepali Scheduled Caste community has alleged that the GTA Sabha didn’t follow constitutional norms of reservation in the recent recruitment of primary school teachers in the hills, denying jobs to 47 members of the community.
The working president of the All India Nepali Scheduled Caste Association, Hem Baraily, said the GTA had overlooked the mandatory reservation of 22 per cent for the community while appointing 575 primary school teachers recently.
“While the SC community is entitled to 22 per cent reservation, the quota for the Scheduled Tribe community and Other Backward Classes stands at 6 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively,” said Baraily.
According to the association, of the 575 appointments made by the GTA, 127 should have been from among the Scheduled Caste members. “Even though the GTA has not yet given us the list of candidates appointed for the posts, we have learnt from our sources that only 80 applicants from our community have been given jobs. This means 47 members of our community have been denied jobs,” said Baraily. .
The community, which consists of 9.32 per cent of the hill population, was among the first to openly support the Morcha when it was formed in October 2007.
G.N. Lamjel, the general secretary of the association, said: “A meeting of the association was held in Darjeeling on Sunday and representatives of our community expressed strong resentment against the Morcha for ignoring the reservation for the Scheduled Caste community.”
The meeting, held at the Biswakarma Samaj Bhavan in Darjeeling, was chaired by R. Thatal, the president of the association. Baraily and representatives of different units from across the hills were present at the meeting.
The SC leaders said the community members would not allow the infringement of their constitutional rights. “We are only demanding the right that has been enshrined in the Constitution and to ensure that our community is protected, we will explore all possible options that are available to us. To start with, we will soon take up the matter with the National Commission on Schedule Caste,” said Baraily.
When it comes to the reservation, the SC community is also aggrieved that of the 45 GTA seats to which elections are held, not a single one is reserved for the SC and ST.
“We raised the issue with the Morcha and we also told chief minister Mamata Banerjee that no seats were reserved for the SC and ST community in the elections to the GTA. The chief minister assured us that she would look into the matter, but nothing much has happened,” said Baraily.
Seats are reserved for the SC and ST communities in the assemblies and Parliament.
The SC association had supported the Morcha after its birth in 2007 as the Sixth Schedule demand raised by GNLF leader Subash Ghisingh did not have any provision for reserving seats for the SC community. However, there was a provision for seat reservation for the ST community under the Sixth Schedule.
The Morcha has given tickets to the SC and ST community members in the GTA polls. If a seat is reserved for a particular community, only members from the same can contest the polls.
Asked about the SC community’s charge of not complying with the reservation in the recruitment of the primary school teachers, Roshan Giri, the executive Sabha member in charge of primary education, said: “As far as I know, the roster system has been maintained.”
More Nathu-la car permit plea
Gangtok, June 12: The Travel Agents’ Association of Sikkim yesterday requested the state government to increase the number of permits issued for tourist vehicles bound for the Nathu-la border.
Around 70 permits are issued daily four days a week (Monday to Thursday) by the checkpost office in Gangtok for tourist vehicles.
“Most of the permits are available for tour operators and not all tourists can be taken to Nathu-la. Given the heavy demand, we suggest that the state government increase the number of vehicles to at least 100 daily,” said Satish Bardewa, the president of TAAS.
According to a government order, out of 70 permits, 50 are meant for tour operators, 15 for the tourism department and five for the home department.
Located at an altitude of 14,500 feet on the Indo-China border, Nathu-la is a popular tourist destination in Sikkim. It is 56km from here.
According to the tour operators, the number of permits was limited to 70 keeping the parking space in mind.
Permits for Nathu-la are given one day in advance. Tour operators have to queue up for the permits.
“Now the parking area at Nathu-la has been extended and there is enough space to park more vehicles. We request the tourism department to take up the matter with the army as it comes under their purview,” said Baraf Namgyal, the general secretary of TAAS.
The additional secretary of the state tourism department, Namrata Thapa, said the department was pursuing the matter with the army.
“The department is regularly hearing the matter, however, the army does not want to increase the number of permits because of bad road conditions, frequent landslides and the fragile landscape. It may take some time,” said Thapa.
Chopper ride launch on June 16
Pawan Hans Limited, the central government-owned helicopter company, will launch its services in Bengal from June 16.
A BEL 206 L4 helicopter will take off from the airstrip of the Indian Army near the Race Course in Calcutta on June 16 and there will be two-three 10-minute sorties on the first day.
The services are being launched according to a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the state government and the company in March. The state had proposed to Pawan Hans to introduce helicopter services in Calcutta and surrounding areas and also to connect the state capital with different towns in north and south Bengal.
Pawan Hans at present flies a helicopter (file picture) between Gangtok and Bagdogra.
Sources said the general manager (marketing) of Pawan Hans had written to the state transport department on June 6 that the A BEL 206 L4 helicopter could accommodate six passengers and two pilots.
“The company will offer joy rides for 10 minutes against a payment of Rs 2,000 and a charter service would cost around Rs 50,000 per hour. Pawan Hans will introduce a service between Calcutta and Haldia also, provided necessary infrastructure is put in place by the state government,” said a source.
Trinamul sign for JMM duo
June 12: Two leaders of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha known to be close to John Barla today filed their zilla parishad nominations under the Trinamul symbol in Jalpaiguri.
Trinamul had been trying hard to forge an alliance with the JMM and Barla to prevent a division in the Doars tribal vote.
Today, JMM leaders Binod Kuzur and Tulsi Oraon were fielded in the zilla parishad seats of Nagrakata and Metelli blocks respectively under Trinamul symbol. Both seats are reserved for STs.
The JMM did not file any nominations against the duo in the two seats.
Trinamul and the JMM fielded their candidates in two other zilla parishad seats of the two blocks and six other seats in Malbazar and Dhupguri blocks.
“Out of the 10 seats, we are strong in six and we had asked Trinamul to leave these seats for us and field their candidates in the remaining four. Trinamul did not agree which is why we could not forge an alliance with the party,” said Binod Tigga, the assistant secretary of the north Bengal regional committee of the JMM.
“Now that the candidates have been fielded, we will contest against Trinamul for the seats.”
Chandan Bhowmik, the Jalpaiguri district Trinamul president, said: “We have fielded two JMM leaders as Trinamul candidates. In the remaining eight seats, we will contest against them.”
Raju Bara, the general secretary of the north Bengal regional committee of JMM, said in Alipurduar subdivision, where there are 18 zilla parishad seats, the party is contesting in alliance with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.
“We have an alliance with GJM and have fielded candidates in all 18 seats. There has been no alliance with Trinamul in the subdivision,” Bara said.
Trinamul, which has fielded candidates in all 37 zilla parishad seats in Jalpaiguri, is not ruling out the possibility of further negotiations with the JMM and Barla.
“The last date of withdrawal of nominations is June 17. We have four days from tomorrow, during which, we can hold talks and reach a consensus on seats for which both our party and the JMM fielded candidates today. Accordingly, the candidates can be pulled back from both sides with the entire support being thrown behind a common candidate,” said a Trinamul leader.
“We are mulling these options.”
Today, the Congress and the Left Front candidates filed nominations in some more seats in all the three tiers of the panchayat system.
12 Jun 2013
11th hour Dooars game
June 11: The Congress and Trinamul have both left a few seats vacant in the Dooars but for different reasons.
The Congress wants to keep an opening for disgruntled tribals who may be “uneasy” allying with Trinamul, which has an understanding with two tribal outfits — the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad and its breakaway rebel leader John Barla who has joined the JMM.
Trinamul has tied up with the Parishad for seats in the gram panchayat and panchayat samiti levels. But with Barla, the ink is not yet on the paper.
One of the reasons for the delay in the pact with the JMM is the question of which symbol Barla’s men would use if they contested for the zilla parishads.
Sources said that Trinamul wants Barla’s associates to fight the election under the ruling party’s symbol. The JMM wants to fight the election under its own symbol.
As no agreement has been reached, neither Trinamul nor the JMM gave nominations today for the zilla parishad seats. “That is why, the party (Trinamul) has not fielded candidates in a number of seats and would decide on filing nominations tomorrow,” said an observer.
In the symbol tussle, the Congress may have spied some hope and so left a few seats in the two lower tiers vacant.
“This political gesture of the Congress is simply for passing on an oblique message to the tribal leaders that in case they find it uneasy to ally with Trinamul, the Congress is all set to welcome them and field their candidates in the vacant seats,” said an observer.
The Congress has not filed nominations in the panchayat samitis and gram panchayats at Malbazar, Dhupguri and Nagrakata blocks, all reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
A district Congress leader said: “There are chances of new political equations, which can be worked out before the last date of withdrawal, which is June 17 for Jalpaiguri.”
The Congress, sources said, was closely watching the discussions among Trinamul, Barla and the Parishad in the hope that any of the two tribal groups might want to severe ties with the ruling party at the last minute.
The Dooars have 422 seats in 13 panchayat samitis, 2,346 seats in 146 gram panchayats and 37 seats in zilla parishad. It is no secret that whoever wins the support of the tribals will win in the Dooars.
The JMM wants Trinamul to give its candidates in Malbazar, Kalchini, Metelli, Nagrakata and Dhupguri zilla parishad seats — all reserved for STs. Trinamul has so far left vacant three zilla parishad seats each in Malbazar and Dhupguri, and two seats in Metelli and Nagrakata blocks.
Chandan Bhowmik, the Jalpaiguri Trinamul president, said: “Tomorrow being the last date of filing nominations, we will try to finalise the alliance…. In case differences persist, we would field our candidates in all the seats.”
North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb said today: “We will hold a meeting tonight and we hope to finalise the issue (with the JMM).”
In the panchayat samitis and gram panchayats, Trinamul has fielded common candidates with the Parishad, he added.
Trinamul drops administrator hint
Siliguri, June 11: Trinamul would request the state government to dissolve the Siliguri Municipal Corporation board and appoint an administrator as civic services were being hampered because of the Congress’s boycott of monthly board meetings, sources in the ruling party said today.
The Congress abstained from the last two monthly board meetings as they had been convened by chairman Nantu Paul who had left the party and joined Trinamul.
The sessions couldn’t be held because of lack of quorum as Left Front councillors were also absent along with those from the Congress. Neither the Left nor the Congress accepts Paul as the civic chairman.
Trinamul insiders said the councillors of the party would meet municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim and seek the dissolution of the Congress-run board.
“There is no point in letting the Congress run a minority board. The civic services are being affected as monthly board meetings are not being held. As we have councillors at the SMC and they face questions from the public regarding the state of affairs, Trinamul also has a responsibility to address their grievances. So, we decided to approach the minister and request him to dissolve the board and depute an administrator. Such a step, we believe, would improve civic services,” said a Trinamul source.
According to Section 60 of the Corporation Act, the state government has the power to dissolve a civic board for non-performance and depute a person or persons of its choice to run the body.
Any decision taken at a meeting of members mayor-in-council on civic services have to be approved by the board.
The source said the mayor, deputy mayor and the MMICs were availing themselves of free transport and cellphone facilities without doing any work.
Krishna Pal, a Trinamul councillor and the secretary general of the party’s Darjeeling district committee, said today that the Trinamul councillors would meet Hakim. “We, the Trinamul councillors, will talk to Firhad Hakim and request him to sort out the present stalemate at the SMC by taking appropriate steps so that civic services, which are in the worst condition, can be improved.”
He refused comment when asked if the Trinamul councillors would request the minister to dissolve the board.
Mayor Gangotri Datta said: “Trinamul’s decision to approach the state municipal affairs department for the dissolution of the board is a political one. We have nothing to say. The civic services are regular and up to the mark across Siliguri.”
11 Jun 2013
GNLF revives cells for protection of cadres - Boost for voluntary force in backdrop of alleged threats from Morcha
Darjeeling, June 10: The GNLF has started reviving its village protection cells at a time the party, in a bid to make a comeback, is allegedly facing threats from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.
“We have started reviving the party’s village protection cells (VPC) and have so far issued 300 identity cards to our cadres in Mirik alone. The process of forming the VPCs has started across the hills,” Laadup Ghising, the spokesman for the GNLF, said over the phone from Mirik.
The GNLF had started forming the VPCs in 2009 when the party had lost popular support in the hills. However, the cells were not proactive till now.
The VPC is seen as the GNLF’s answer to the Morcha’s Gorkhaland Personnel, which, too, was purportedly formed for crowd control and traffic management during the Morcha’s political programmes.
However, the GLP also started moral-policing in the hills.
The lathi-wielding GLP members tried to stop the flow of illegal liquor from Sikkim to the hills and launched a crackdown on drug peddlers. There was an instance when two couples were allegedly hauled up in Darjeeling by the GLP for allegedly holding hands in public.
The GLP cadres were trained by the members of the Morcha’s ex-servicemen association and were kept in camps similar to army barracks.
Ghising, however, said the GNLF would not be imparting any such training to the VPC members. “Our primary objective of forming the VPC is to ensure protection for our supporters, especially during political programmes,” he said.
The GNLF’s decision to revive the cells comes in the wake of an attack on its workers allegedly by Morcha supporters at Soureni on May 5. Besides, hundreds of people have joined the GNLF in the hills and the Terai recently.
Eight persons were injured when GNLF supporters were attacked while on their way to Soureni from the Terai to attend the inauguration of a party office on May 5. Soureni is about 45km from Darjeeling.
After the formation of the GLP, the CPRM also stitched together a similar volunteers’ force called the Swyam Sevak Bahini, which consisted of volunteers donning red caps.
The CPRM volunteers had taken out a parade on the May Day in Darjeeling in 2011 and they have been inactive since then. Unlike the CPRM and the GNLF, the Morcha is known to pay the cadres of its voluntary force between Rs 1000 and Rs 1500 a month.
Phoebe Rai, the Morcha’s convener from Mirik and also a GTA Sabha member from the area, refused to attach much importance to the GNLF’s initiative.
“Of late, I have stopped commenting on their activities as they have no support left. Their latest announcement is not something we are worried about. The youths of the hills are with us.”
Fight poll, avoid duty
Behrampore, June 10: Around 100 high school teachers in Murshidabad have filed nominations for the panchayat elections as Independents as they don’t want to be put on poll duty because they apprehend violence.
Abdul Matin Biswas, an assistant teacher of Kushabaria High School in Domkol, said he filed his nomination as an Independent because he was “scared” of poll duty this time.
“I am scared to go on poll duty this time because every day we get to hear incidents of violence. In 2008, 16 people had died in Murshidabad during the polls. Eight of them had died in Domkol. This time there has been lot of tension in the district. So if by filing a nomination as an Independent I can avoid poll duty, my family will stay in peace,” Biswas said.
Another teacher, Nibir Kumar Som of Sagardighi High School, said he would not be able to handle the pressure of poll duty.
“I will not be able to handle the pressure of working as a polling hand. But I cannot be excused from polling duty because of this. So I took the easy way out by filing a nomination in my local gram panchayat,” Som said.
Debashish Chakraborty, an assistant teacher of Lalnagar High School, said his family members had been pressuring him not to go for poll duty ever since the dates for the elections were announced.
“This year, the panchayat polls are being held in a different political atmosphere in which violence has become frequent. My wife was very scared about my going on poll duty. So I thought of becoming a candidate,” Chakraborty said.
The teacher added that he stayed in a rented accommodation in Behrampore and travelled 70km to the Shikarpur gram panchayat to file his nomination from there.
The sub-divisional officer of Domkol, Prasanta Adhikari, said if a teacher files a nomination for the election, he can no longer be deployed for poll-related work.
Adhikari said a schoolteacher can become a candidate if he is above 18 years.
“If a candidate wins and becomes just a member of a gram panchayat, panchayat samiti or zilla parishad, he need not resign from his job. But if he/she becomes a functionary such as a pradhan, sabhapati or sabhadhipati and karmadakshya he/she will have to resign,” the SDO added.
The convenor of Trinamul-dominated West Bengal Secondary Teachers’ Association, Sheikh Furkan, appealed to the teachers not to file nominations to avoid poll duty and co-operate with state election commission.
But the district secretary of the Left-backed All Bengal Teachers’ Association, Dulal Dutta, said he supported the teachers’ move.
कालेबुङमा फस्टिँदैछ पर्यटन व्यवसाय यसवर्ष देशी पर्यटकहरूको उत्साहजनक उपस्थिति
कालेबुङ, 10 जून।
विगत वर्षहरूको तुलनामा यसवर्ष कालेबुङमा देशी पर्टटकहरूको उपस्थिति उत्साहजन रहेको छ। सम्बन्धित पक्षका मानिसहरूसितको कुराकानीले खुलाएअनुसार यस बर्षको जनवरी महिनादेखि नै शुरु भएको पर्यटकहरूको संख्या अप्रेलको पहिलो सातादेखि धेर बढ्न शुरु भएको हो। होटल एण्ड रेष्टुरेन्ट एसोसिएशन अफ कालिम्पोङ (होर्याक)-की अध्यक्ष संजोगिता सुब्बाअनुसार पनि कालेबुङ भेकमा यसचोटि देशी-विदेशी पर्यटकहरूको आगमनमा निक्कै वृद्धि भएको छ। देशी-विदोशी पर्यटकहरूले कालेबुङ घुम्न मन पराउने गरेको तिनको भनाइ छ। कालेबुङको नातिशितोष्ण जलवायु अनि अन्य शहरहरूको तुलनामा भीडभाड र सॉंघुरोपन कम भएकोले पनि पर्यटकहरू यता आउन मन पराउने गरेको उनको भनाइ छ। यद्यपि, कालेबुङमा पर्याप्त पर्यटनस्थलहरु छैन। सरकारी निकायद्वारा स्थापित पर्यटनस्थलहरूको कमी रहेकोले यस दिशामा सरकारी संस्थानले धेरै पूर्वाधार निर्माण गर्नु पर्ने अवश्यकता रहेको तिनको भनाइ छ। यसबाहेक क्षेत्रिय प्रशासनले बेमौसममा पर्यटन उत्सवहरूको आयोजना गर्नको साटो पर्यटन मौसमकै छेक पारेर यस्ता उत्सवहरूको आयोजना गर्ने गरे पर्यटकहरू झनै आकर्षित हुने तिनको विचार छ। पहाडको पर्यटनमौसमलाई ध्यानमा राखेर बर्षभरि नै पुष्प उत्सव. सुन्तला उत्सव, ग्रामिण अनि हस्तकला प्रदर्शनीहरुको आयोजना गर्न सकिने होर्याककी अध्यक्ष संजोगिता सुब्बाले सुझाउ दिएकी छन। यता डेलो टुरिष्ट लजकी कर्मचारी रिङ्कू भोटिया अनुसार पनि यो बर्ष देशी पर्यटकहरूको संख्यामा निकै बृद्धि भएको छ। डेलो टुरिष्ट लजमा मात्र दैनिक अढाइदेखि तीन सय पर्यटकहरूले भ्रमण गरिरहेको उनको भनाइ छ। यसरी नै, यहॉंको शहरी अनि ग्रामीण क्षेत्रका पर्यटनस्थलहरूमा पनि यसपल्ट पर्यटनहरुको अप्रत्यासित आगमन भएको तथ्याङ्क अघि आएको छ। यहॉंका एकना गाइडअनुसार, कालेबुङ शहरी क्षेत्रमा डेलो, दुर्पिन, मोर्गेन हाउस, हनुमान मन्दीर साइन्स सेंटर, पाइनभ्यु क्याक्टस नर्सरी, पार्क, सिंहवाहिनी मन्दीर, रेली आदि प्रमख पर्यटनस्थल हुन्। यी पर्यटनस्थलहरू अझ वृृद्धि हुनसके कालेबुङमा पर्यटन व्यवसाय धेरै फस्टाउनसक्ने भनाइ उनरको छ।यसरी नै, ग्रामिण क्षेत्रहरूमा लाभा, लोलेगॉंउ, रिसाप, कफेर, रेशी, सिल्लरीबस्तीजस्ता क्षेत्रहरूमा विस्तार भइरहेको इकोटुरिजमले घरेलु पर्यटकहरूलाई आकर्षित पारिरहेको छ।
रोङ्गो डिन्छेन पेमा छोइलिङ गुम्बा संरक्षणको अभावमा बन्दैछ बिरानो
कालेबुङ, 10 जून।
रोङ्गो आउने हरेक पर्यटक, बौद्ध धर्मवालम्बी एवं आगन्तुकहरूलाई यहॉंको देखाउनलायकको ठाउँ भनेको नै रोङ्गो गुम्बा हो। 1960 सालमा रोङ्गो घाप गाउँमा निर्मित यस सार्वजनिक डिन्छेन पेमा छोइलिङ गुम्पा क्षेत्रको एउटै मात्र मुख्य धार्मिक एवं पर्यटन स्थलको रुपमा परिचित छ। यहॉंको भौगोलिक अवस्थानको कारण पनि गुम्बा हेर्नलायकको बनेको हो। चारैतिरबाट उठेको पहाडको टुप्पोमा गुम्पा अवस्थित छ भने यहॉंबाट रोङ्गो, दलगाउँ, गैरिबास, झोलुङ, भूटानका मनोरम दृष्यहरू आकर्षक देखिन्छन्। हरेक वर्ष बौद्ध पूर्णीमाको दिन दलगाउँ, गैरिबास, झोलुङ, भूटान, सामसिङ, कुमाइ, तोदे, जलपाइगुडी आदि क्षेत्रबाट हजारौंका संख्यामा श्रद्धालुहरू यस गुम्बामा दर्शन गर्न आउने गरेका छन्। यस गुम्बा परिसर यति धेरै आकर्षक हुँदाहुदै पनि अहिले यस गुम्बा उचित संरक्षणको अभावमा आफ्नै ठाउँमा विरानो बन्दै गइरहेको छ। स्थानीय मानिसहरू अनुसार, घाप गाउँदेेखि गुम्बासम्म पुग्ने उकालो बाटो धेरै अपठ्यारो छ। यस गुम्बा वर्षमा एकचोटि हुने बुद्धजयन्तीसम्ममा मात्र सिमित हुनपुगेको छ। गुम्बाको भवन जीर्ण बनिसकेको छ भने शौचालय, बाहिरी सुन्दरीकरण जस्ता अनेक अभावहरूमा ध्यान दिन जरुरी रहेको उनीहरू ठान्छन्। यता गुम्बाको अवस्था दिनोदिन सोचनीय बनिरहेको देखेरे यसको संरक्षण गर्नुपर्ने वोध गर्दै हालमा गुम्बाको देखरेखको जिम्मेवारी स्थानीय युवाहरूले लिएका छन्। नवगठित कमिटीमा अध्यक्ष रिदम गुरुङ, सचिव विमान राई, कोशाध्यक्ष बाबुल मजुमदार, सह-कोशाध्यक्ष अनुप शेर्पा लगायत अन्य छऩ्। उनीहरूले गुम्पाको पुनरुद्दार गर्न जुरुरी रहेको एवं रोङ्गोको यस प्रमुख धरोहरलाई जोगाइराख्नुपर्ने दिशामा कार्य गर्ने बताएका छन्। कमिटीका अध्यक्ष रिदम गुरुङले भने, गुम्पामा दैनिक रुपमा कैयौं पर्यटक एवं आगन्तुकहरू आउने गरेका छन्। तर गुम्बाको अवस्था सोचनीय बनेको छ। यहॉं बिहान-बलुकी पूजा गर्ने लामासमेत राख्न सकिरहेका छैनौं। गुम्बाको देखरेखको निम्ति एकजना चोकिदार राख्नुपर्ने अवस्था छ। यसैले शुरुको दिनमा गम्बाको संरक्षणको निम्ति मानिसहरूबाट आर्थिक सङ्ग्रह जमा गरेर गुम्बाको अस्तित्व बचाइराख्ने आफूहरूको सोंच रहेको उनले बताए। यस गुम्बासितै धाप गाउँ मार्ग भएर जाने गोपी धामको पनि संरक्षण गर्नसके क्षेत्रमा पर्यटकहरूको संज्ञामा धेरै वृद्धि हुने कुरामा उनीहरू विश्वस्त छ।
10 Jun 2013
Trinamul springs Barla surprise - Party in zilla parishad tie-up with JMM, confuses ally Adivasi Vikas Parishad
June 9: Trinamul leaders in the Dooars today said they had held successful talks with John Barla on a pre-poll alliance for zilla parishad seats, confounding the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad with which the ruling party entered into a tie-up recently.
On June 4, leaders of Trinamul and the Parishad, which is staunchly opposed to Barla, announced that they would share seats in the gram panchayats and panchayat samitis. For the zilla parishad seats, there had been no understanding between the Parishad and Trinamul.
According to a Trinamul leader in Malbazar, the ruling party had decided to field two of Barla’s associates in the Jalpaiguri zilla parishad which has 37 seats.Trinamul said it wanted Barla in the alliance as it did not want the tribal votes to split.
Of the 13 blocks in Jalpaiguri, seven are in the Dooars, where the Parishad has a strong base because of the high tribal population and the Parishad’s presence in unions in almost all the tea gardens.
Around 40 per cent of the 2,346 gram panchayat seats in Jalpaiguri fall in the Dooars. A similar percentage of the 422 panchayat samiti seats are also in the Dooars.
The other six blocks in Jalpaiguri district do not have much of a tribal presence, therefore the Parishad’s focus is concentrated in the seven blocks of the Dooars.
Trinamul’s larger battle is to keep the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha out of the Dooars and Terai, which the hill party wants included in its proposed Gorkhaland state.
“We joined hands with the Parishad for gram panchayat and the panchayat samiti seats. In each seat, the support base of the Parishad and Trinamul has been assessed by local leaders of both sides and the candidate has been selected on the basis of this strength,” said Prabir Chakraborty, a member of the north Bengal core committee of Trinamul and party’s observer in the Malbazar subdivision of Jalpaiguri.
Chakraborty added: “However, in the zilla parishad, it has been decided that Trinamul will field its candidates in all 37 seats. These candidates would be supported by John Barla and (his party) the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.”
He said: “Talks have been held with Barla and other leaders on the proposal and they have assented.”
A Trinamul source said Binod Kuzur and Binod Tigga, both associates of Barla, would be fielded as Trinamul candidates in the Nagrakata and Banarhat zilla parishad seats.
The Parishad, though miffed, is unsure how it should act. If it goes with Trinamul, it will lose face among its supporters because the outfit has always said it would have no truck with Barla, who had rebelled against the Parishad and moved out. Also, Barla has an understanding with the Morcha for the rural polls, and the Parishad is opposed to the Morcha’s Gorkhaland demand.
But withdrawing its candidates when just two days are left for the nomination phase to end may also not help the Parishad. The outfit would find it difficult to put up Independent candidates in all the seats now.
“We have our compulsions about maintaining a distance from Barla and the Morcha for their agenda of Gorkhaland and inclusion of Dooars and Terai in it…. On the basis of discussions with Trinamul leaders, we have put up candidates in the panchayat samitis and gram panchayats,” said Rajesh Lakra, the general secretary of the north Bengal regional unit of the Parishad.
“We have no idea on what to do now,” he said.
Barla, disappointed by the tie-up between the Parishad and Trinamul, had asserted that he would campaign against Trinamul.
“This left Trinamul concerned about division in the tribal vote. The party in a last-ditch attempt convinced Barla for the zilla parishad alliance. However, the equations are not very clear as both the Parishad and the Morcha, are not ready to go by this alliance,” a source in the Dooars said.
Barla said today: “We are not concerned about the other allies of Trinamul. As only two days are left for submission of nominations (the vote in Jalpaiguri is on July 9), we are simply focusing on filing of nominations by our candidates in all three tiers. There had been an alliance with Trinamul but some of our leaders are insisting on fielding candidates under the JMM banner in the zilla parishad. Talks are going on with Trinamul leaders and we feel, it would not pose any hindrance to the alliance.”
Asked about the Morcha tie-up, he said: “We would soon sit and talk to them. Candidates of Morcha-JMM alliance have already filed nominations in two lower tiers of the panchayat.”
Morcha leaders in the Dooars said they had no information about the Barla-Trinamul alliance.
“It is unlikely that Barla or JMM would make such a tie-up when they are in alliance with us. Our party has made elaborate plans for campaign and the party president himself (Bimal Gurung) would participate in it across Dooars,” said Madhukar Thapa, a central committee member of the Morcha from the Dooars, said.
“We want to make it clear we have no alliance with Trinamul,” he said.
Gautam Deb, the north Bengal development minister, said Trinamul was fast emerging as the principal party in Dooars. “We definitely want the support of all tribal groups. On the other hand, tribal organisations and parties in the Dooars have realised that they need to have an alliance with Trinamul for better results in panchayat polls.”
Sikkim name among G20 Indians - Dewakar bound for moscow
Among 25 Indians who will represent the country at a G20 summit of young entrepreneurs is a name from Sikkim.
Thirty-year-old Dewakar Basnet will be part of the Indian team in Moscow from June 15-17.
The G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance (G20 YEA) is a global network of young entrepreneurs and the organisations that support them. It was established to convene each year in advance of the G20 Summit, with the aim of championing the importance of young entrepreneurs to the G20 member nations and to share examples and practices, says the G20 YEA website.
The alliance was created at the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Summit, Toronto, Canada, 2010.
Dewakar will be the first person from Sikkim to represent India at the summit.
The summit is hosted by the Center For Entrepreneurship (CFE), an entrepreneurship development organisation based in Moscow that focuses on young entrepreneurs as the leading force for job creation, innovation, economic and sustainable growth, and competitiveness.
Dewakar, who hails from Pakyong in East Sikkim, is a chief learning officer of 24 Hours Inspires, a company founded by him which works on the skill and personality developments of school students.
Dewakar, who studied journalism in Bangalore, started his company in 2008-09 as a leadership development and personality enhancement firm.
Registered in Bangalore, the company conducts leadership development and personality enhancement programmes for schools, colleges and corporates.
It has a children’s learning division called Creative Craft which conducts summer and winter camps.
It has a quizzing section called QYOU! which focuses on quiz shows in schools, colleges and corporate firms.
Dewakar has been a quizmaster and has conducted more than 100 shows till date.
Dewakar would be representing the summit as part of Young India, an integral part of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
“This is a dream come true. I never thought in my wildest dream that I would be getting an opportunity to represent my state and the country in such a big platform,” said Dewakar, who would be delivering a talk on inclusive competition among students at the summit.
“It is a matter of great pride for our family. He would be the first from the family to go abroad,” said father T.P. Basnet, a retired contractor.
Dewakar was recently conferred with an award by the Sikkim government for his contribution in the field of education.
“CII does not have its registered office in Sikkim so Dewakar will be going from Kolkata. At the G20 YEA Summit, the delegates will focus on solutions to address critical issues facing all G20 countries, including ways governments, academia, NGOs and business communities can work together to provide aspiring young entrepreneurs with foundational support to ensure their success,” said the North Bengal zonal office head of CII, Laxmi Limbu.
She said the selection was made after thorough scrutiny and several rounds of interviews and interactions.
