GTA Chief Anit Thapa resigns amid corruption allegations
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Kolkata: Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) founder Anit Thapa on Wednesday resigned as the Chief Executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), the autonomous body responsible for managing civic affairs in the Darjeeling hills, including Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong in North Bengal.
Thapa’s resignation came a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced a probe into alleged widespread corruption in the functioning of the GTA during a public meeting in Kurseong on Tuesday afternoon.
The BGPM is a hill-based ally of the previous ruling party in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress. Thapa had assumed the post of GTA Chief Executive in 2022, and his tenure was scheduled to continue until 2027. However, he voluntarily stepped down a year before the completion of his term.
At the time of filing the report, Thapa had not issued any statement to the media regarding the reason behind his early resignation.
On Monday, while addressing a public meeting in Kurseong, Chief Minister Adhikari raised allegations of rampant corruption within the GTA, particularly regarding the recruitment of teachers for GTA-run schools in the hills.
The Chief Minister also said that his administration would identify those responsible for the alleged irregularities and take action against them.
The GTA was formed in 2011 through a tripartite agreement between the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre, the West Bengal government and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), shortly after the Trinamool Congress government led by Mamata Banerjee came to power, ending the 34-year Left Front rule in West Bengal.
Since its formation, the GTA has functioned as an autonomous body with responsibilities in several areas, including infrastructure development and education in the hills.
The GTA began functioning in 2011, replacing the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), which was established in 1988. The administrative jurisdiction of the GTA mainly covers various subdivisions and areas of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts.
The GTA holds administrative and financial powers over nearly 59 departments, including education, health, agriculture, tourism and public works.
With IANS inputs