3 weeks ago
BJP, Congress MPs push rival development agendas for Malda
Two politicians who represent nearby areas in India's Parliament want to make life better for the people they serve.
Their names are Khagen Murmu and Isha Khan Choudhury, and they belong to two different political parties — the BJP and the Congress.
Mr. Murmu thinks the most important thing is to make the big hospital in Malda much better.
Many sick people come to this hospital from faraway places, but it does not have enough doctors, machines, or beds.
He asked the government to build it up into a great special hospital, like the famous AIIMS hospitals.
Miss Choudhury thinks the most important thing is to build new docks, called jetties, next to the river.
The jetties would let boats carry things like farm food from one town to another, which helps businesses grow.
She met a government minister to ask about her plan and to get support for building the docks.
The government is still studying her proposal and has not made a final decision yet.
Both politicians want to show that their party can bring good projects to their area.
BJP MP Khagen Murmu raised in Parliament the need to upgrade Malda Medical College and Hospital into a super-speciality institution on the lines of AIIMS.
Murmu said the hospital serves patients from Malda, North and South Dinajpur, Murshidabad and adjoining areas of Bihar and Jharkhand but lacks super-speciality facilities, modern equipment, specialist doctors, ICU beds and advanced departments.
Congress MP Isha Khan Choudhury is pursuing a proposal to develop two container jetties with barging facilities in Murshidabad to improve waterways and boost trade.
The jetties are planned at Basudebkhali Ghat in Samsherganj block and Farakka Terminal Ghat in Farakka block to improve the movement of goods through national waterways.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, which examined the proposal in consultation with the Inland Waterways Authority of India, is still reviewing it, with consideration pending over land availability and highway proximity.
- Who
- BJP MP Khagen Murmu (Malda North), Congress MP Isha Khan Choudhury (Malda South), Union Health Minister, and Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal
- What
- Two rival MPs are pushing separate development agendas in Parliament — upgrading Malda Medical College and Hospital into a super-speciality institution and developing two container jetties for waterway trade
- Where
- Malda and Murshidabad districts, with the proposed jetties at Basudebkhali Ghat in Samsherganj block and Farakka Terminal Ghat in Farakka block
- When
- Murmu raised the healthcare issue in Parliament on Thursday; Choudhury met Sonowal on August 4; the Ministry's earlier communication on the jetties was dated October 16, 2025
- Why
- To address constituents' needs for healthcare access and trade connectivity, and to show that each party can bring central projects and investment to the region
Healthcare-first development
Waterway trade development
Priority for Malda's development
Healthcare-first development
BJP's Khagen Murmu argues the urgent need is upgrading Malda Medical College and Hospital into a super-speciality institution like AIIMS, with modern equipment, specialist doctors and ICU beds, so critically ill patients no longer have to travel to Kolkata or other states.
Waterway trade development
Congress's Isha Khan Choudhury argues the priority should be building two container jetties on national waterways to improve goods movement, boost commercial activity and transport agricultural produce from Murshidabad to Kolkata and Haldia.
Which party can deliver central projects
Healthcare-first development
The BJP is seeking to show its ability to bring central health projects and investment to Malda North through schemes such as PMSSY.
Waterway trade development
The Congress is seeking to show its ability to bring central infrastructure investment to Malda South by securing Ministry support and funding for the waterway jetties.
Key facts
- Opposing MPs
- Khagen Murmu (BJP, Malda North) and Isha Khan Choudhury (Congress, Malda South)
- BJP's agenda
- Upgrade Malda Medical College and Hospital into a super-speciality institution like AIIMS
- Congress's agenda
- Develop two container jetties with barging facilities in Murshidabad
- Jetty locations
- Basudebkhali Ghat (Samsherganj block) and Farakka Terminal Ghat (Farakka block)
- Hospital's service area
- Malda, North and South Dinajpur, Murshidabad, and adjoining areas of Bihar and Jharkhand
- Funding scheme cited
- Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)
- Jetty proposal status
- Under Ministry examination; consideration pending over land availability and proximity of highways
- Trade aim
- Transport agricultural produce from Murshidabad to Kolkata and Haldia through national waterways
Sources
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