Too many institutions with no clear demarcations of powers and functions in Gorkhaland

Close review and examine of the current structure of governance in#Gorkhaland region of the country highlight the following:

• There are too many power poles than normally permitted by the constitution of the country. They include district administration, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, Cultural and Development Boards, Hill Area Development Committee and a Special Committee.

• The rationale behind introduction of so many institutions is clearly not growth and sustained development of the region but appeasement of selected individuals/groups and eventually thwarting the long pending demand of the Gorkhas for a separate state of their own.

• Creation of so many institutions and resultant power poles to govern a small geographical region with less than 3000 sq km area and 10-lakh populations is shear wastage of human and financial resources of the country.

• Too many institutions without clear demarcations of their powers and functions often leads to more of conflicts than cooperation creating unnecessary confusions rather than development for which they are formed.

• West Bengal has been aggressively pushing for a forced disintegration of the ‘Gorkha Aspiration’ for a separate state with so many confusing and populist development propositions.

• Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Act (2011) was drafted only on paper but was never implemented on the ground thus violating the very agreement signed between the Government of India, West Bengal and the Gorkhas (then represented by GJMM).

• West Bengal has badly failed in its project as far as the Gorkha dominated Darjeeling-Dooars is concerned. Although, successive state governments have been able to influence and purchase few Gorkha representatives sporadically, the Gorkha masses have, for the last 40 years, systematically rejected them. This rejection shall certainly continue until there is a separate state or a UT for the Gorkhas.