Mamata to visit north Bengal next week for administrative meet

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be visiting north Bengal next week to hold administrative review meetings with district officials, sources in the state secretariat said on Thursday.

This will be her first visit to north Bengal after the Lok Sabha elections.

Banerjee, who is scheduled to leave for the review meetings on October 21, will also participate in a Bijoya Sammilani (exchange of greetings after Durga puja) programme in Siliguri, an official at the secretariat said.

"The CM will hold administrative meetings with officials of Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar districts on October 24 at Uttarkanya (branch secretariat) in Siliguri.

"Before that, she will participate in a Bijoya Sammilani event on October 21 and 22," he said.

There is also a possibility that Banerjee might visit the Hills after the October 24 meeting, the official said.

"If there is no pressing need in Kolkata after the meeting, the CM may travel to the Hills. But if something urgent comes up, she will be back in the city on October 25. Her itinerary has not been finalised yet," he added.

According to another official at the chief minister's office, Banerjee's itinerary is always kept "flexible" to accommodate any alteration or last-minute change.

The CM, before the Durga puja holidays, had chaired administrative meetings in North 24 Parganas, Burdwan and Paschim Medinipur districts.