Sonakhali (West Bengal), Feb 2 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee enjoyed a rare relaxing day on cruise, piloting a launch in the tranquil of Sundarbans, the home of the Royal Bengal Tigers and mangrove forests, and surprised local officials by paying for her day’s expenses.

Banerjee, who came to the Sundarbans in South 24 Parganas district Tuesday on a two-day visit, looked relaxed as she savoured the beauty of the Sundarbans — accessible only by riverine waterways — and planned ways to draw more tourists by improving the infrastructure at various popular spots.

Having spent the night at the Sajnekhali forest bungalow, she held an early morning meeting with officials discussing development plans for the region.

She proposed a floating light and sound show depicting the local folk culture and a tiger rehab centre for injured big cats so that tourists could have a close peek at the famed animal from close.

Banerjee then boarded the large motorboat accompanied by union minister Mukul Roy, some state ministers and several bureaucrats on way to Pakhiralay — a bird sanctuary known for sighting kingfishers, lap-wings, curlews, whimbrels, sandpipers and occasional pelicans.

She made an unscheduled stop at a remote village in the core of the forest.

As news of her arrival spread, hundreds of people gathered on both banks of the river. Banerjee walked on the embankments as locals - young and old - rushed to have a glimpse of ‘didi’.

She interacted with locals and asked them about their problems. Accompanied by administrative and police officials, she lent a patient hearing to the families of those who lost their lives in tiger attacks.

Donning the robe of a tough administrator, Banerjee ordered the bureaucrats to speed up development work and assured the villagers that their needs would be fulfilled.

She even took a pencil and paper and drew a map of roads, instructing the officials on how the tiles should be laid.

Later, she distributed biscuits, chocolates and chips among children and also handed over blankets to villagers.

Getting into the boat for her next destination, Sonakhali, Banerjee straightaway proceeded to the pilot’s cabin.

“I want to learn how to pilot a launch. Everybody should learn everything,” she told the surprised pilot, Jatindramohan Raftan.

The middle-aged man was too glad to teach the basics to the chief minister, who sat at the steering wheel and piloted the launch for quite some time.

But a bigger surprise awaited the officials in the morning at Sajnekhali forest bungalow, about 100 km from Kolkata.

An aide of the chief minister went up to an official asking for the bill. The surprised official countered, “Bill for what”?

“The expenses incurred for the chief minister and her entourage’s food and lodging. Wherever she goes, she pays the bill from her pocket,” the aide said.

“But it’s a government programme,” the official protested.

“Nothing doing, official or unoffical, she always pays her own personal expenses.”

The bewildered official had no choice but to give the bill and accept the money.