What is GTA?
- It a 50-member semi-autonomous body for trouble-torn Darjeeling hills in West Bengal. GTA will consist of 45 elected candidates and 5 nominated candidates.
- The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) had emerged victorious on all 45 seats in the Gorkha Territorial Administration election. GTA is the successor of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council which came into being in 1988. Its formation is the culmination of three-year long agitation which started in 2007 by Bimal Gurung led Gorkha Janmukti Morcha demanding a separate Gorkhaland state. In 2011, when Mamta Banrjee led Trinmool Congress came to power in West Bengal, a tripartite agreement was signed among Union Government, West Bengal Government and GJM with respect to the formation of GTA.
- As per the legislation passed by West Bengal Legislative Assembly regarding the formation of Gorkha Land, GTA will have administrative, executive and financial powers but no legislative powers.