Tax free zone status demanded for North Bengal 

COOCH BEHAR, July 2: Tax Free Zone Demand Committee for North Bengal (TFZDCNB) is planning to go ahead with their demand. Before announcing their call for a bandh in North Bengal districts it faxed a message to the state chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.

In the message the TFZDCNB requested the chief minister to create pressure on the Union government to accept the demand of tax free zone status for North Bengal.

In the memorandum that was signed by TFZDCNB convenor Mr Rajendra Kumar Baid, it was mentioned that North Bengal is the corridor to northeast India. The Centre has declared Sikkim and northeast region as tax free zone but North Bengal has been denied of this status.

Mr Baid said that unemployment is increasing in an alarming rate in educated and uneducated youths in North Bengal districts resulting discontent among them. This can be combated by creation of employment through wide scale industrialisation. Large-scale industrialisation will be possible if the entrepreneurs find North Bengal as a tax free zone. In this perspective the state government should take a leading role, Mr Baid opined. Lack of adequate infrastructure and other facilities in the Chakchaka Industrial Growth Centre in Cooch Behar is also keeping the prospective entrepreneurs away from this district, he alleged.

The TFZDCNB convenor said that they already started a movement in North Bengal demanding tax free zone status for it. In the message addressed to the chief minister he declared their determination to launch a massive movement to get their demand fulfilled.

Mr Baid, who is also the general secretary of Cooch Behar District Merchants Chamber of Commerce (CDMCC), said that on earlier occasions they were promised that the Cooch Behar airport would start functioning in April. But, additional two months went away without any outcome. They learnt that due to slow progress in removing all obstacles to make the airport operational, it is getting delayed, he alleged. He declared that they would organise an agitation within a few days demanding speedy work. They will also appeal to the state industries minister Mr Nirupam Sen to intervene because the Cooch Behar airport, the New Maynaguri –Jogighopa rail route and the Chakchaka Industrial Growth Centre are important factors for industrialisation and development of this region, Mr Baid added.

            Cooch Behar DM Dr Singh denied making any comment over the allegations raised by Mr Baid. []