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Darjeeling to Diamond Harbour: Towns to get modernisation push
Presenting the interim Budget in the Assembly, Bhattacharya said that the government has decided to undertake holistic development of a number of cities of the state to make them into “business-friendly, environment-friendly and employment-friendly modern cities with all amenities of modern life and digital infrastructure”.
West Bengal will modernise at least 25 cities to make them business- and environment-friendly, Finance MoS Chandrima Bhattacharya announced in the interim Budget. (File photo)
In a renewed push to develop urban infrastructure, Minister of State for Finance Chandrima Bhattacharya on Thursday announced plans to modernise at least 25 towns and cities.
Presenting the interim Budget in the Assembly, Bhattacharya said that the government has decided to undertake holistic development of a number of cities of the state to make them into “business-friendly, environment-friendly and employment-friendly modern cities with all amenities of modern life and digital infrastructure”.
“At present, such modernisation will be taken up for the cities of Howrah, Diamond Harbour, Bardhaman, Durgapur, Bolpur, Krishnanagar, Barasat, Raiganj, Siliguri, Baharampur, Malda, Kalyani, Srirampur, Andal, Bankura, Purulia, Digha, Medinipur, Jhargram, the NKDA (New Town Kolkata Development) area, Gangarampur, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, and Darjeeling,” she said.
According to her, the government will constitute a committee to explore how the project can be taken up “without adversely affecting the existing inhabitants of these cities”.
“The committee, after completion of survey work, will submit the report by the end of this year,” she added.
The minister said the modernisation of towns and cities across the state was being undertaken as the state has become a major destination for investment.
“In investment, West Bengal has become a major destination for industry, manufacturing, tourism, services like IT & Data Centre, and logistic hubs. West Bengal has emerged as a major hub in steel, cement, railway coach, metro coach,h and wagon production,” she said.
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According to her, destinations such as Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and the Dooars in North Bengal are witnessing rapid MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) development, high-end conferences, and corporate retreats, leveraging the region’s scenic beauty, serene environment, and improving connectivity to major hill stations.
In the interim Budget, the government has allocated Rs 13,595.55 crore to the Urban and Municipal Affairs Department.
She also announced that five new MSE Industrial Parks will be set up in the state — two in Jalpaiguri district and one each in the districts of Birbhum, Bankura, and Murshidabad.
“Further, a state-of-the-art Global Trade Centre will be set up through joint collaboration,” she said.
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Stating that while the government is setting up a “Sports City” in Dumurjala in Howrah to promote games and sports in the state, a “Cultural City” will be set up in Baruipur, near Kolkata, centering the “Tele Academy”, which has already come up.
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