CONFERENCE

Demand to use of Nepali, Bengali in offices

 

COOCH BEHAR, Feb. 8: The second state conference of the Pashchim Banga Gram Panchayat Sahayak Samiti (PBGPSS) concluded at Rabindra Bhavan today. Vice-president of State Co-ordination Committee (SCC) Mr Ashok Patra had inaugurated the three-day conference on Friday. Sabhadhipati of Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad Mr Dilip Biswas delivered the welcome address at the inaugural session of the conference attended by 390 delegates from 18 districts.

 

In the conference a number of resolutions on state-level demands were adopted. A resolution was adopted demanding introduction of Nepali language in the hill region and Bengali in the rest areas of the state in the offices of government departments. The delegates criticised the bureaucrats for their reluctance to introduce mother tongue in functioning of administration and issuing of official directives. The ministers too are not taking any visible initiative to implement the plan, they said.

 

Drawing an end to corruption and misuse of government fund and launching of steps to increase state exchequer were also demanded in another resolution. It demanded minimising of unnecessary use of government vehicles and telephones and hiring of private vehicles.

 

Though the PBGPSS is an affiliate of CPI-M dominated State Co-ordination Committee it criticised the Left Front government in several resolutions adopted in the conference. It suggested the state government to stop engaging of private agencies in the jobs of state administration and appointment of personnel on contract basis. The cabinet of ministers should take decisions after discussions with democratic organisations to maintain transparency, it advised.

 

The conference also demanded abolition of voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), bonus at the rate of Rs 8.33 to all employees, filling up of all vacant posts and jobs for the unemployed youths.