Kolkata, 16 May (H.S.): Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will visit Durgapur on May 21 to hold an administrative review meeting with officials and legislators from five districts of south Bengal, officials said on Saturday.

The meeting will be attended by administrative and police officials, along with MLAs from Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, Bankura and Purulia districts.

Officials said preparations for the chief minister’s first major administrative review meeting were in full swing. Though the venue has not been officially finalised, district administration sources said the meeting is likely to be held at Srijani Hall in Durgapur.

District magistrates of the five districts are reviewing the progress of ongoing development projects ahead of the meeting, while police officials are also preparing reports on important pending cases, sources said.

The meeting assumes significance as the five districts are considered politically crucial in the state and the BJP performed strongly in the region in the recent Assembly elections.

The Trinamool Congress failed to win a single seat in Bankura, Purulia and Paschim Bardhaman, while it secured only two seats in Purba Bardhaman. The BJP also won a majority of seats in Birbhum.

Political observers are closely watching whether the chief minister announces any major initiatives related to industrialisation in the region, particularly in the industrial belt of Durgapur and adjoining areas.

The region is also known for illegal sand mining and coal-related activities, and residents are keen to see what message the chief minister gives to the police administration on those issues.

Officials recalled that important administrative review meetings were regularly held in Durgapur during the tenure of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee, though she had not visited the city for such meetings in recent years.

Paschim Bardhaman District Magistrate Ponnambalam S confirmed that preparations for the May 21 meeting had already begun.

Ahead of the chief minister’s visit, the district administration will hold a meeting with newly elected MLAs on Saturday to brief them on development works in their respective Assembly constituencies, officials said.

BJP MLA from Durgapur East Chandrashekhar Banerjee said Durgapur would become a key development destination for the BJP government after Kolkata.

Durgapur West BJP MLA Laxman Ghorui said he would seek details of development works and press for action against illegal activities in his constituency.

Pandaveswar MLA Jitendra Tiwari said he would raise the issue of absentee panchayat functionaries causing inconvenience to people in his area during the meeting.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey