The West Bengal Government has requested the Centre to include Darjeeling and Coochbehar districts in the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) programme. The proposal should help increase the flow of funds to the newly formed Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in Darjeeling.

“We have written a letter to the Centre proposing to bring Darjeeling and Coochbehar under the domain of BRGF,” Manas Ranjan Bhunia, State MSME and Textile minister, said on Thursday. He was addressing an interactive session on initiatives for North Bengal development organised by the city-based Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

According to him, the two districts of North Bengal were deprived of development for years and it was the time they should see growth happening. This apart, the State Government has sent proposals to the Centre seeking funds for a host of development plans in Malda, South Dinajpur and Murshidabad districts, Bhunia pointed out. “While we have plans to set up a Rs 50-crore textile hub at Gangarampur, South Dinajpur, discussions are on for a Rs 38-crore silk park at Malda,” he said.

He added that his department was contemplating setting up a textile hub in Murshidabad with a cost of nearly Rs 100 crore. Bhunia said, according to a report by industry body Assocham, the micro, small and medium enterprises sector performed well in the State over the last one year.

> ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in