States » EastPosted at: Oct 28 2026 6:53PM


Raiganj awaits Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari’s word on long-pending AIIMS dream

Siliguri, Oct 28 (UNI) The people of Uttar Dinajpur, particularly Raiganj, are waiting for West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's visit on Thursday.
But their curiosity goes beyond the administrative meeting he is scheduled to hold with district officials or what he might say about the overall development of the district.
There is one question that continues to occupy their minds: Will the Chief Minister say anything about setting up an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raiganj?
For the people of North Dinajpur, this is not merely another development project. It is a dream that once appeared within reach but gradually slipped away.
The story goes back to the initiative taken by former Raiganj MP and senior Congress leader Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi. The Centre had approved an AIIMS-like medical institution for Raiganj under its healthcare infrastructure programme, raising hopes of a major improvement in medical facilities in the district.
Panishala, on the outskirts of Raiganj, was identified as the proposed site. A substantial stretch of land was earmarked for the project, involving both government land and private landowners.
However, the project became entangled in political and administrative complications. After the Trinamool Congress came to power in West Bengal in 2011, the proposed AIIMS eventually shifted to Kalyani in Nadia district.
For Raiganj, the disappointment was considerable. The district had already begun looking towards the proposed institution as an important step towards improving healthcare and creating a new centre of development.
The political circumstances surrounding the decision have continued to influence public discussion. Mamata Banerjee, the then chief minister, had been a formidable political rival of the Congress, while Dasmunsi and his wife, Deepa Dasmunsi, were prominent Congress leaders in the district.
The AIIMS project subsequently became a recurring issue in local politics.
Now, with Suvendu Adhikari arriving in Raiganj for the first time as chief minister, expectations have once again risen.
The BJP leader was earlier a close associate of Mamata Banerjee and served in her cabinet. His political journey has therefore added another dimension to the public interest surrounding the proposed institution.
Adhikari has visited several districts of North Bengal, including Malda, South Dinajpur, Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri. He has also visited Siliguri and Uttarkanya. However, Raiganj has remained outside his official itinerary as Chief Minister until now.
Although he had passed through the district while travelling by road to Balurghat, tomorrow's visit will be his first official visit to Raiganj in this capacity.
The Chief Minister is scheduled to hold an administrative meeting at Karnajora, the district headquarters. He is also expected to attend a public distribution programme and address people at the project ground nearby.
What he says there will be closely watched.
Local BJP leaders are expecting announcements of two or three development projects for North Dinajpur. But the nature of those projects remains uncertain.
Former district BJP president Biswajit Lahiri said people could expect more from the Chief Minister.
"We are also expecting more. AIIMS is really a centre of discussion. But it is true that the Chief Minister will announce two or three projects. Nobody knows whether AIIMS will be one of them or not," he said.
Another former district BJP president, Basudev Sarkar, pointed out that Raiganj MP Kartik Chandra Pal had raised the AIIMS issue in Parliament.
"From that point of view, the expectation of the people regarding AIIMS is natural. But we will have to wait till tomorrow and see what Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announces," he said.
The demand has also figured in the BJP's political commitments in North Bengal. MPs and MLAs in different districts have been seeking major healthcare projects for their respective areas.
However, the question of land remains crucial.
A political observer said the district that could provide the required land would have a stronger claim to the proposed institution.
"Setting up AIIMS requires land. It is an important part of the project," he said.
For Raiganj, the issue is particularly significant because land had already been identified at Panishala for the earlier proposal. The people of North Dinajpur are therefore hoping that tomorrow's visit will bring more than routine administrative assurances.
Whether AIIMS will figure among the Chief Minister's announcements remains uncertain. But for Raiganj, the question is no longer simply about a hospital. It is about an unfinished promise, a lost opportunity, and the hope that a long-pending dream may finally return to the district.
UNI MBN NST RSA
Tags: #Raiganj awaits Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari’s word on long-pending AIIMS dream
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