The programme started at 10 am.
Ren Lyangsong Tamsang, Chairman, Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board received the Chief Guest. She was presented with a traditional Lepcha hand woven shawl ‘’Yang lo’ and a ancient Lepcha traditional stone called “Sader Lang” commonly known as the thunder stone. A long list of dignitaries from different villages came and garlanded her with the traditional garlands called the “Phogo-rip” in Lepcha language. The programme was attended by Shri Gautam Deb, N.B.D.D. Minister, Dr. Rudranath Bhattarai, Siliguri M.C.A, Shri. Sanjay Mitra, Chief Secretary, Shri. Basudev Banerjee, Home Secretary, Shri. S.K. Thade, Pricipal Secretary, Backward Classes Welfare Department, Shri. Gautam Ghosh , Principal Secretary, G.T.A., Shri Sanjay Moktan, T.D.C.B., Chairman, along with other top bureaucrats and Police officials. Other guests included representatives of various communities who are demanding tribal status from the State Government; representatives of various other communities, including the Limboo, EMI Bhutia, Singsha Bhutia, Bhujel, Mangar, Khas Hitkari, Newar, Khamburai, Mukhia and Bengali. They also presented the Chief Minister with traditional gifts.
Ren Lyangsong Tamsang, Chairman, Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board presenting a traditional Lepcha hand woven shawl ‘’Yang lo’
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Ren Lyangsong Tamsang, Chairman, Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board presenting a traditional stone called “Sader Lang” commonly known as the thunder stone
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The programme began with profuse gratification and acknowledgement by the M.L.L.D.B. Chairman, Ren Lyangsong Tamsang Lepcha to Kingchoom Daarmit Renyoo Mamata Banerjee for her immense contribution towards the upliftment of the Lepcha community. He stressed the fact that this was her fourth visit within a year. He said that it clearly shows her “love, concern and commitment for the Lepchas”. He reiterated the statement several times that until now no political leaders Local, State, Central or Chief Ministers had visited the Lepchas in the last sixty four years! He said that she was the only person to fulfil the long standing demands of the Lepchas. “She patronised the language, literature, culture and traditions of our people”. A national seminar had been held on Poloongdaong, Sokhyam18th July 2014 for which magazines, books and text books had been published on the revival of the Lepcha language. Further, he went on to pronounce that eight Lepcha artists had been awarded with Sangeet Samman. The Banga Bibhushan, the highest State Award, was given to Ren Lapon Sonam Tshering Tamsang . Additionally twenty one Lepcha folk artists have been given pensions and fifteen members of the Lepcha Cultural Team have been selected to represent the State of West Bengal in Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh. All this sponssorship served to create an awareness specially for the Lepcha youth. Chairman Lyangsong Tamsang thanked the Chief Minister for the morale boost given to the Lepchas, for making them “work with head held high”. Next he spoke about the housing scheme ‘Rong Lee’, which has empowered the Lepcha women. He quoted the Chief Minister for having praised the Lepchas in her last speech in Darjeeling: “ Lepchao ne dil se kaam kiya hai.” (Lepchas have worked full heartedly.) She had also added that the Lepchas are a good example and illustration. Another one thousand ‘Below the Poverty Line’ beneficiaries were given two lakhs rupees each to build more houses. Ren Lyangsong Tamsang underlined that the Lepchas were “going from strength to strength and enjoying democracy in its true sense” under Kingchoom Daarmit, Renyoo Mamata Banerjee’s dynamic leadership. He concluded his speech by stressing the fact that she is a great inspiration and is held in high esteem and regard by the Lepchas.
The District Magistrate, Darjeeling took the programme forward by announcing the distribution of cheques by the Chief Minister herself to the fifty beneficiaries of the ‘Rong Lee’ programme. The Chairman M.L.L.D.B. was presented with a cheque of ten crore rupees for the development of Lepcha community in the hills. An additional two and a half crore rupees were presented for the construction of the M.L.L.D.B. administrative building.
The Chief Minister then presented the Tamang Development Cultural Board (T.D.C.D.) with five crore rupees. Miss Neera Lopchan, Principal Advisor of T.D.C.B., thanked the Chief Minister for having recognised the Tamang community and for establishing the Board. She also thanked the Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board members for having supported the Tamangs.
The District Magistrate, Darjeeling then proceeded to announce the implementation of several schemes in the Darjeeling District. Three hundred and seventy seven children were granted twenty five thousand rupees each under the ‘Kanyashree’ scheme. Additionally under the ‘Gitanjalee housing’ scheme, four hundred and thirteen beneficiaries received an amount of seventy five thousand rupees each. Under the ‘minorities’ pre-matric scholarship scheme, twelve thousand, three hundred and fifty beneficiaries are to be awarded scholarships in the Darjeeling District. Of these,three hundred and fifty students received an amount of fifty two thousand five hundred rupees each. Next, seven beneficiaries received a hundred meter taxis to ply in the Darjeeling District. Furthermore twenty eight mini buses were flagged off by the Chief Minister herself much to the delight of the public. The inauguration of a homestay scheme under D.R.D.P. amounting to three crore rupees each was announced. It is to be implemented Polongdong, Sukhia Pokhari, Todey Tangta , Gorubathan and Jaldhaka, Gorubathan. Besides these three rural Marketing hubs are to be established in Kalimpong, Kurseong and Gorubathan. Various other schemes and projects were also announced.
The speech by the Chief Minister was much awaited. When she came to address the public, she was greatly applauded.
The Chief Minister mentioned each and every Association, various administrative officers, the youths and all sectors of society that were present at the venue. She gratefully acknowledged the leadership of the Lepchas and congratulated them on their successful completion of three years since the establishment M.L.L.D.B. She promised to be present for their well conducted programme annually. She praised their efforts in using the funds for the ‘Rong Lee’ scheme wisely and stressed on how important it was to use the money judiciously. She also spoke about recruiting forty six Lepcha Para Teachers for teaching the Lepcha language in the government primary schools in the District of Darjeeling,she spoke about the construction of the M.L.L.D.B administrative building for which funds had already been released. On a note of hope she assured the community of help in building a Lepcha Cultural Heritage Centre, if they found a suitable site. She propagated the idea of beautifying ‘Jhoras’ (streams) and marketing mineral water. She stated that two thousand crore rupees would be sanctioned for these schemes. Then, the Chief Minister spoke about opening technical colleges, diagnostic centres , a medical college in Kurseong for the benefit of the local people. She said three thousand three hundred crore rupees was kept aside for the construction of hydel projects along with N.H.P.C.. Additionally,considering the scenic beauty of the Darjeeling District tourism sector must be encouraged through eco-tourism. She spoke about a solid waste management scheme which would have an amount of eleven crore to be sanctioned. Then, the Chief Minister approved a complete Lepcha medium school as a pilot project. She also spoke about having an office in Darjeeling for easy accessibility and communication to the Chief Minister. Her speech ended by appealing to the people emotion. She said that “the hills beckon” her and that Kanchenjunga is special to her; that the hill people don’t have to go to Kolkata but Kolkota will come to the hills.
This inspirational speech of the Chief Minister was reciprocated with thunderous applause.
Then the first half of the programme ended with the National Anthem. In the second half, the band, ‘Sofyum’ entertained the crowd with modern Lepcha songs and music, while the merriment and feasting continued.
Report by
Azuk Tamsang Lepcha
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