File Photo: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (Press Trust of India)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said her government supported the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh as the people wanted it and sought a package from the Centre for rehabilitation of those affected.
"With (rehabilitation) package we are supporting it (agreement)," Ms Banerjee told reporters in Jalpaiguri after holding an administrative meeting with officials at Uttarkanya, the secretariat in north Bengal.
"I talked to the local people. We are supporting it because the people were in favour of it. It is not that we are imposing it (on them)", she said.
On the rehabilitation package, the chief minister said, "Our involvement of land is 17,000 acre. 60,000-70,000 people will come. We have demanded a package for their accommodation, food, for building roads, schools etc. We have to look after their livelihood and for that a package is required. We have to look into their problems. It is a humanitarian problem."
Ms Banerjee had earlier stated that she demanded a 'comprehensive package' for rehabilitation of those who would come to this side of the border and settle here following exchange of enclaves between the two countries.