The Trinamool Congress-run board of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Saturday felicitated tourism minister Shankar Ghosh, who was invited as the chief guest of a civic reception organised to honour meritorious students.
Ghosh, the BJP MLA of Siliguri, shared the dais with mayor Gautam Deb, deputy mayor Ranjan Sarkar, chairman Pratul Chakraborty and other members of the civic board at Dinabandhu Mancha, the public town hall in the city.
The programme was hosted to honour Class X and XII students who secured higher marks in the SMC area. The BJP legislator was formally felicitated by the civic authorities at the event.
Speaking to the media after the event, Ghosh said he had accepted the invitation without any political considerations.
“Earlier, I had not been invited to such programmes organised by the civic body. Despite facing such situations, I always remained committed to serving the people. When the mayor invited me to attend the felicitation programme for meritorious students, I accepted it without any political prejudice and honoured the chair of the mayor,” he said.
In the recent Assembly elections, Ghosh secured the Siliguri seat for the second time, defeating senior Trinamool leader and mayor Deb.
Emphasising the need to keep governance above partisan politics, the minister said: “Administrative work is entirely different from politics and should always be viewed beyond political affiliations. I have followed this principle and will continue to do so in the future.”
Addressing the students, Ghosh also highlighted the benefits of the Centre’s National Education Policy (NEP), describing it as a transformative framework that would create new opportunities for learners.
“The current education policy will help students broaden their academic horizons and pursue their aspirations in emerging fields of study. It is designed to equip them with the skills and flexibility needed in contemporary education,” he said.
Market visit
Earlier on Saturday, Ghosh visited the Siliguri Regulated Market and reviewed the condition of the wholesale trading hub, considered the largest market for fish, fruits, and vegetables in north Bengal.
Located in Mallaguri, the market has long faced several infrastructural challenges, including inadequate drainage, a lack of proper parking, poor sanitation, and an inefficient waste disposal system.
Ghosh interacted with traders, market authorities and local stakeholders to assess the existing problems firsthand. He also inspected various sections of the market.
After the inspection, he spoke to officials of the state agricultural marketing department and the SMC, and urged them to take immediate steps to address the shortcomings and improve the overall infrastructure of the market.
