Darjeeling, March 16 (IANS) The proposal for an interim administration does not mean the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) is giving up its demand for a separate Gorkhaland but it will be a step forward in reaching 'our ultimate goal', GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said Tuesday.

'We have sent a proposal to the centre seeking necessary arrangements for an interim administrative set up in the hills till 31 Dec, 2011. The proposal has been sent to the union home ministry considering next year's West Bengal assembly polls.

'There is no question of backtracking from our Gorkhaland demand but we are in favour of this interim set up to find a temporary solution to the statehood question before the assembly polls,' Giri told IANS.

According to him, the GJM has asked for legislative, administrative and financial power for the proposed hill body. It has also demanded the replacement of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) of 1988. It has suggested the new body be named the Golkhaland Regional Authority (GRA) or Darjeeling Dooars Regional Authority (DDRA).

'Besides a separate Gorkhaland state, we are also going to press for interim set-up at the tripartite meeting in New Delhi (Thursday),' he said, adding the interim set-up will only be valid till December 2011.

Asked if the central government has responded to the GJM proposal, Giri said: 'We have not received anything so far. But we will discuss this issue in Delhi on Thursday.'