Will not allow forcible eviction of refugees from central govt-owned land: Mamata

We will give them refugees dalil officialdocument in accordance with their merit, Banerjee said atthe state secretariat, following a cabinet meeting.The chief minister said that her dispensation hasregularised 213 refugee colonies over the last two years, andissued a total of 2,79,000 pattas.We are clearly stating that such evictions will notbe allowed.

West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee on Thursday asserted that she would not allow''forcible displacement'' of any refugee from land owned bycentral government organisations, amid reports that evictionnotices have been put up at several such places.

She said that her government would hand over pattas(land certificates) to all such refugees.

''We have got information that at some places inBankura and Habra, central government organisations have putup eviction notices. But our government would not allow anysuch thing. We will give them (refugees) dalil (officialdocument) in accordance with their merit,'' Banerjee said atthe state secretariat, following a cabinet meeting.

The chief minister said that her dispensation hasregularised 213 refugee colonies over the last two years, andissued a total of 2,79,000 pattas.

''We are clearly stating that such evictions will notbe allowed. Refugees who have been staying on those estatesfor several years will receive the pattas. Matuas (Bangladeshirefugees) have already been given pattas, and those who havenot received them so far, will get them soon,'' she said.

She stated that her cabinet has also given its nod togrant freehold rights to the unauthorised inhabitants ofKolkata Municipal Corporation's ward number 109.

''Not a single colony will be left out. We are doing itfor everyone, be it those living on state government land, onprivate property or on land belonging to central governmentorganisations, like the railways,'' the TMC supremo underlined.

All refugee colonies in the state, including those inthe city's Jadavpur, Behala, Dhakuria, Sonarpur, Ballygunge,and Beleghata areas, will get such rights, she said.

The cabinet, overwhelmed by the response to the rulingdispensation's flagship programme 'Duare Sarkar' (governmentat doorsteps), has agreed to extend its timeline for anotherphase to ensure that more and more people get to avail thebenefits of state-run schemes, Banerjee said.

The drive, which has touched lives of at least twocrore people so far, will be renewed for its fifth phase for14 days, starting January 27.

The fourth phase is scheduled to end on January 25.

''With so many people taking interest in the programme,and considering the fact that some have come to know about theinitiative only later, we have decided to extend it forphase-5, which will start from January 27 and continue tillFebruary 8,'' Banerjee explained.

The cabinet also sanctioned old age and widow pensionfor at least 15 lakh people, who had applied for it, she said,adding that the disbursement process will start from Friday.

The CM, following the cabinet meeting, inaugurated aninitiative, under which her government will transfer Rs 10,000to bank accounts of the nine lakh students of Class 12 ingovernment schools and madrasas for purchasing smartphones,computers or tablets.

''The money would be transferred to designated bankaccounts in seven days. Students can purchase tablet computersor smartphones of their choice and continue their onlineeducation,'' she said after interacting with some of them overa virtual platform.

Every student receiving the assistance will also get aletter undersigned by her, Banerjee said.