FURFURA SHARIF (HOOGHLY): Chief minister Mamata Banerjee was aware of the huge expectations from her and the even bigger challenges facing her government as she spoke to a huge crowd under a scorching mid-May sun in Furfura Sharif. In the same breath that she promised minority development projects, the CM appealed to land owners to help complete a railway scheme."I urge all of you to come forward for development," the CM said. Referring to the problems plaguing the completion of 18-km railway line from Furfura Sharif - a Muslim pilgrimage - to Dankuni, she said: "The government can only offer the tender rates while procuring land. This is the norm." Some land owners have refused to part with their plots for the project, demanding a better price from the government.After laying the foundation stone for an Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Mamata pointed out that the freight corridor and locomotive manufacturing...
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plant in Dankuni were progressing rapidly."After 8-10 days, I will inaugurate the loco unit. Dankuni isn't very far from here. The freight corridor is tipped to be among the best in the country. The ITI here can provide youths with the right skills to apply for jobs there," said the chief minister. "Unemployment in the state is nearly a crore. After coming to power, we have created nearly 600,000 jobs in government and private sector. I have asked my panchayat minister to create 2.5 crore rural jobs," the CM said.Mamata also laid the foundation stone of a hostel for Muslim girls, two musafirkhanas (rest houses) for pilgrims and promised legal status to the 33 madarsas in Hooghly so that the can get central funds.