N Bengal a priority in budget: Swapan

Siliguri: Bengal finance minister Swapan Dasgupta said on Thursday that north Bengal was a priority for the state govt, and his department had been reaching out to people from different sectors to understand their expectations before presenting the budget on June 22.Dasgupta held a pre-budget consultation meeting with representatives of industry and trade bodies at Uttarkanya on Thursday, where business groups strongly demanded the establishment of a GST Appellate Tribunal in Siliguri and raised concerns over the future of north Bengal's tea industry. "North Bengal has long been neglected in the budget. I have come to north Bengal along with all the senior officials of the finance department to speak to the people and note their expectations," Dasgupta said.The meeting was also attended by minister of state for finance and transport Anandamoy Barman and north Bengal development minister Nisith Pramanik. Representatives from various trade and industry bodies — including the CII, FOCIN (Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries, North Bengal), the Tea Board, and other stakeholders — participated in the discussions.Emphasising the importance of holding consultations with stakeholders, Dasgupta said the govt was treating the budget exercise as a serious administrative process rather than a routine exercise. "Earlier, budgets were often prepared like running on a treadmill, but that is not what we are doing this time. The budget is not a casual matter for us but a serious administrative exercise," he said."North Bengal is our priority. The upcoming budget will only be for next eight months. We will see how we can contribute more to development of north Bengal. The tea garden sector is a major economic driver and will remain in our focus. The first bullet train to Delhi from Bengal is starting from Siliguri, which makes it clear how much we are prioritising north Bengal," Dasgupta added.Harsh Bhorelia, chairman of the north Bengal chapter of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, said, "Along with the demand for a GST tribunal, we have also raised issues concerning the protection of the quality and heritage of Darjeeling tea.