Coochbehar: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday inaugurated the campus of a newly built medical college and hospital here, and said the facility meets a long-term demand of the locals.

Work for setting up Maharaja Dipendra Narayan Medical College and Hospital had commenced in February 2019 on a 25- acre land, Banerjee said.

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The college, built by the TMC government at a cost of Rs 250 crore, can admit up to 100 students, who would go on to become doctors and serve the state, she said.

The CM hailed the role played by junior doctors over the past nine months in tackling the COVID-19 crisis.

"Junior doctors, as COVID warriors, are working hands-on to help patients. They are doing a wonderful job risking their own health," she said.

Banerjee, on the occasion, also inaugurated through remote control a new battalion of the West Bengal Police, headquartered at Mekhliganj here.

Local Rajbangshi population had long been requesting the government to set up ''Narayani'' battalion in the district, the chief minister said.

"Two more contingents -- Gorkha battalion to be headquartered in Naxalbari of Darjeeling district and Jangalmahal batallion based in Jhargram - will be set up soon. At least 3,500 personnel will be recruited for the new squads," the CM stated.

The feisty TMC boss further launched two fire service stations via remote control -- one at Jaigaon in Alipurduar district along the West Bengal-Bhutan border, and another at Dabgram in Jalpaiguri district.

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