137 voluntary teachers of GTA to get appointment letters

Darjeeling: 137 voluntary teachers of secondary and higher secondary schools of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area will be handed over appointment letters in the next few days. The School Service Commission has already given clearance for 137 teachers.

"We are thankful to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Education Minister Partha Chatterjee for regularising the teachers. It has been a long standing demand and many of the teachers have been working on a voluntary basis since a long time," stated Amar Singh Rai, Darjeeling MLA and GTA member, education department.

He stated that the regularisation of 744 voluntary teachers is in pipeline. In the past voluntary and adhoc teachers of schools in the GTA area have been agitating, demanding regularisation. They have held hunger strikes, dharnas and even abstained from attending classes in the past.

"In the past, political interference has been the biggest obstacle. The GTA is working hard to reinstate the past glory of Darjeeling. Emphasis is being given on education. New schools, colleges, technical institutes are coming up" added Rai.

In another development, the GTA and State Government will be marketing local Darjeeling produce and selling them to retail chains.

A meeting to this effect was held between the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME,) Government of West Bengal; GTA officials and hill farmers.

"There are many retail chains and outlets interested in procuring hill produce directly, cutting off the middle men involved. We have decided to market hill produce namely broomstick, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, Dalley (round chilies), honey, squash, mushrooms and oranges. We will create brand 'Darjeeling'," stated Binay Tamang, Chairman, Board of Administrators, GTA. The GTA's target is around 50,000 hill farmers in this project. Modern tools and machines will be provided to the farmers.