Himalayan Times (1954)

Ten

May 30, 1954

SRI A. SHOKUR AT KALIMPONG

Kalimpong, May 28

Sl;ri A. Shokur, Deputy
'Minister, Agriculture, West
Bengal, visited the Kalim-
pong State Agricultural
Farm tins morning and was
shown round the .different
departments doing research'
works in paddy, maize,
vegetables 'and cardamom
by the Economic Botanist
and the Superintendent of
Agriculture, Darjeeling. The
Deputy Minister was accom-
panied by Sri H. N. Sircar,
Inspector General of Police,
West Bengal and Sri Hanif
Hingun a prominent figu-e
of Darjeelin.' who were both
impressed by the works
being carried out for the
improvement of quality and
yield of the above crops
in the Darjeeling hill areas,
where the Union Agricul-
tural Assistants are also
being trai- ed up in agricul-
ture after Iheirapjpointments.

The Deputy Minister
also p-dd a visit to the
local Masjid in the day
time where much enthsiasm
prevailed when therr.uslims
of the locality found the
Deputy Minister saying
Jumma prayer amidst them.
.The Deputy Minister was
very much pleased to know
that the'Managing Commi-
ttee of the Masjid had
decided to replace the pre-
sent mosque by ..a bifger
one so as to provide more

space to meet the growing
need of the community with
the increase of its popula-
tion at Kalimpong. ! he
Deputy Minister was;pleased
to know that within a short
time the Construction Co-
mmittee of the Mosque
had been able to raise^Rs.
18,000/- out of the estima
ted. cost of Rs 36,000/-
for the construction of the
Mosque He also visited
the newly built house in
which a Primary, School
■is being run in the M?sjid
premises from this year.
He wis pleased to see
that within a s^ort space
nf time asp many as 50
students, had be n admitted
of which ' [.9 belonged to
non-muslim communities al-
though trie school was
designated ;>s Madarsah
and that all had been re-
ceiving.free education: This
the Deputy Minister said
revealed a healthy .atmos-
phere of, relationship among
different J communities which
was so i much needed in
these days of human con-
flicts if t'ndia and the world
wantedtq liveupto the ideals
of Mahatma Gandhiji's
teachings. He congratulated
the mpmbers ol the Anju-
man Islamia on the early
implementation of the sche-
me of education in the
town, [

REVIEW OF LAND CUS-
TOMS ADMINISTRATION
Darjeeling May, 26
The Land Customs
officers detected a num-
ber of cases during the
fortnight ended April 30.
The approximate value of
the claimed and unclai-
med goods seized was
Be. 49,714.

The Deputy Minister
also visited Dalapchan Khas-
mahal Block and attended
a meeting of the local
Co-operative Multipurpose
Society. He discussed with
the member of the society
and the local villagers about
exporting vegetable and
other agricultural pro-
duce and also aboit the
proposal of starting a daiiy
In his addi ess to the vil-
lagers, he advised them to
work selflessly if they'real'y
wished the success of a
coop-rative society. He
said that he had very much
appreciated the schemes and
pointed out that uiless the
people themselves would try-
to implement a scheme and
brought it on a better foot-
ing, they could not'qualify
themselves for any help
from outside whether govern-
ment or otherwise. 1 e
asked the people to prepare
proper schemes which they
could really implement with
everybody's co-operation.

The Deputy Minister
on '29' 5-.S4 attended alive
stock" ( xhib'tion at Paiyong
and met the local village:s,