Smritiranjan Mohanty
“In the interest of public service,” the governor appointed Mohanty as administrator to manage all official activities of GTA until further orders, it stated. Speaking to reporters, Adhikari said he would consult all stakeholders and take action accordingly. Everyone will be held accountable and arrested,” he said. The home and hill affairs department said the post of GTA chief executive had remained vacant for over two months following Anit Thapa’s resignation, leaving day-to-day operations of the body “hampered immensely”. Following high-level tripartite discussions involving Union home minister Amit Shah , the Gorkha leadership and state representatives, central govt constituted a dedicated committee headed by interlocutor Pankaj Kumar Singh to draft a formal agreement for a “permanent political solution” in Darjeeling Hills, Terai and Dooars regions.
The CM warned that those involved in alleged corruption in GTA would be held accountable. “Corruption in teacher’s appointment, water or whatever ghotala (scam) has happened in the past, no one will be spared. GTA, like its predecessor Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, may soon be replaced. Designed to address long-standing Gorkha identity and administrative aspirations beyond existing setups like GTA, the initiative aims to establish enhanced administrative autonomy and targeted central funding to drive long-term economic development and stability in the region.
Siliguri: Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was placed under bureaucratic control ahead of CM Suvendu Adhikari’s visit to Siliguri on Tuesday, with GTA principal secretary, IAS Smritiranjan Mohanty, appointed as its administrator. The appointment, notified through an extraordinary edition of Kolkata Gazette on Monday, brings administrative functioning of the Hills body under state control amid a prolonged leadership vacuum.
“This makes it clear that the final phase of GTA has begun,” he said. Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista welcomed Mohanty’s appointment, saying it would ensure administrative continuity while linking the development to the demand for a permanent political solution (PPS).