In a landmark visit marking his first official tour of North Bengal since taking the oath as Chief Minister on May 9, Suvendu Adhikari arrived in Siliguri on Wednesday with a promise to “return the debt” to a region that has long anchored the BJP’s rise in the state.
Addressing a sea of supporters at the Bagdogra airport—greeted by the traditional sound of conch shells and rhythmic dhaks—Adhikari signaled a tectonic shift in governance. He declared that his administration would be one of “nationalists” focused on systemic change rather than mere political transition.
Infrastructure and Institutions
Adhikari’s visit was more than ceremonial; it was a roadmap for development. Reaffirming the promises of the BJP’s ‘Sankalpa Patra,’ the Chief Minister announced the establishment of three major premier institutions in the region:
AIIMS: To revolutionize regional healthcare.
IIT & IIM: To transform North Bengal into an educational hub.
Cancer Hospital: To address the critical lack of specialized medical care.
A Government at Your Doorstep
To ensure the region no longer feels like a “stepchild” of the administration—a sentiment echoed by Darjeeling MP Raju Bista—Adhikari unveiled a decentralized governance model. The North Bengal Development Minister, Nisith Pramanik, will now hold a weekly ‘Janata Darbar’ at the Uttarkanya secretariat in Siliguri to address public grievances directly. Furthermore, the Chief Minister committed to visiting North Bengal every month to personally monitor project implementation.
Social Welfare and Reform
Adhikari also highlighted the rollout of the Annapurna Yojana, which doubles the monthly assistance for women to ₹3,000, and the immediate implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which the previous dispensation had blocked.
“We are not here to change the color of the flag, but to change the system,” Adhikari asserted, vowing to eradicate “syndicate culture” and “mafia raj.” By prioritizing the welfare of tea garden workers—modeled after successful Assam initiatives—and securing border lands for the BSF, the new CM signaled that North Bengal is no longer an afterthought, but the cornerstone of his vision for a “Shonar Bangla.”
