February 14, 2014
Huge boost for rural development through Maati Utsav
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee inaugurated Maati Utsav 2014 today at Panagarh in Burdwan district. The festival promotes cultures and traditions of rural Bengal that are fast losing out to urbanisation. The Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for a number of projects taken up by the state government.
The state government will distribute seeds to farmers and fish to fish cultivators during the Maati Utsav, to be held till February 20. Books containing useful information on agriculture and cultivation will be distributed to the farmers. The Chief Minister will also launch the distribution of 52000 land pattas under the Nija Bhoomi, Nija Griha scheme.
Veteran writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi and actor Prosenjit Chatterjee were present on the occasion along with the members of the State Cabinet and other elected representatives.
The government has taken up the renovation of Sarasanka water-lands in West Midnapore and the Gulabag Lahar water-bodies in Burdwan. Both these water-bodies are used for irrigation purposes and fisheries. A number of shallow, mid-level and high-powered tube-wells will be made functional in Burdwan, Purulia, West Midnapore and Bankura. 63 small irrigation projects will also be launched that will serve 2296 hectares of land.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated 255 roads, with a cumulative length of 1016 km, built under the PMGSY scheme, for a cost of Rs 558.25 crores. She also launched the West Bengal Handloom Circuit Development Scheme, 2014 which will ensure proper training of 97000 handloom artists in the state.
