Secretariat shifts to Howrah from Writers’

The state secretariat on Thursday finally shifted to the HRBC building in Howrah from the historic Writers’ Buildings although chief minister Mamata Banerjee will step into her new office premises on Saturday. According to the Writers’ Buildings sources, Ms Banerjee would officially inaugurate “Nabanno” by unfurling the national flag at 12.30 pm on Saturday. The freshly-painted HRBC building wears the look of a corporate office block. The 11 departments, mostly those headed by the chief minister started operating on Thursday from the new seat of power. The 14th floor houses the chief minister’s office, cabinet room, office of chief secretary Sanjay Mitra and the VVIP waiting room. From the open terrace of this floor, Ms Banerjee can have a panoramic view of the city and river Hooghly. Among the other offices are those of home secretary, director general, director of security and CMO under secretary on the 13th floor. Besides the chief minister’s office, the departments which have shifted to Nabanno are finance, home, information and cultural affairs, personnel and administrative reforms, agriculture, minority affairs, disaster management, public works, police directorate land and land reforms departments et al. On Thursday, the HRBC building witnessed a flurry of activities. Govern-ment employees were seen enthusiastically setting up their respective work places. The transport department will be operating a large number of buses from various points to enable the government employees to reach Nabanno. The chief minister on Thursday also inaugurated new ferry services and water taxis.