During middle of February Sh. R. Dasgupta (President) and Sh. Umesh Chand Sharma (Addl. GS) paid a short visit to NE region. On arrival the President, AGS and VP (TV) -who was on leave in Guwahati, had a meeting with the ARTEE NE zonal office bearers to have an overview of the working.

The CWC members encouraged the office bearers to take the cause of the members of the zone to the best of their abilities. Also it was urged that they should, from time to time, communicate with centre about any problem that need attention. The CWC members alongwith zonal office bearers subsequently had a very useful meeting with staff of DDK and PPC Guwahati. All the current topics including the bifurcation of zones and thereafter the special significance of the ARTEE zonal office, the issue of outsourcing and a host of other issues being pursued by the Association under the banner of SSS were discussed. Present status of RR was also discussed. Subsequently the office bearers of zonal office along the CWC members had a very open and frank discussion with CE (NEZ) Sh. H.R. Singh and Sh. R.K. Sinha, DE(AVM) in the newly set up zonal office at Guwahati. The discussions were very fruitful and all the points taken up by our zonal office were discussed and decisions were taken.

Next day CWC members visited Itanagar, where a meeting was organized to discuss all current topics. Members were also enlightened with the latest status of RR meetings. The members of AIR and DDK Itanagar were extremely happy and excited by this short but meaningful visit of CWC members at such a remote and difficult place. On the way back CWC members paid a day long visit to Siliguri. It was a very hectic yet extremely useful visit by the CWC members along with VP(EZ) Sh. J.P. Sengupta and other zonal office bearers. In the meeting convened by Sh. Dhruva Bhowmick, State Sec (WB), a good number of unit secretaries of North Bengal and Darjeeling area were present. The well attended meeting was addressed by President, AGS, VP(EZ) and other state office bearers. The burning issues were discussed at length. The effect of zonal bifurcation on cadres e.g. SEA, EA and Sr.Tech. was discussed dispassionately. The stagnation of promotion of the cadres is a cause of concern among the cadres at large as this situation may continue for next seven years, if left unresolved.

A decision was taken in the meeting to hold West Bengal state convention on 4th and 5th September at Siliguri. ARTEE office bearers later visited HPT and PGF Jalpaiguri.