December 31, 2018
2018 showed Bangla means business
2018 was a landmark year for Bangla. From the highly successful Bengal Global Business Summit to awards and accolades – the State witnessed positivity, progress and development.
Let us take a look at the achievements of the Bangla Government in 2018:
January 16-17: Bengal Global Business Summit held
The highly successful 2018 edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit was held from January 16 to 17. To know in detail, click the following links:
- 10 French companies participate in BGBS
- BGBS 2018 will open new avenues for employment: Amit Mitra
- 20 lakh jobs to be created: Mamata Banerjee at BGBS
- MoU signed with hospitality major for skill development institute
- Key MoUs signed in education sector
- App cab companies sign agreements with WBTIDCL
February: Three years’ worth work in one year – World Bank congratulates Bangla
The World Bank acknowledged that Bangla crossed its target for comprehensive development of villages through gram panchayats, funded by the bank, in much less time than scheduled. The Integrated Strengthening of Gram Panchayats (ISGP), as the World Bank-financed programme is called, started on July 1, 2016, and was scheduled to end in December 2022. However, under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the State reached 70 per cent of the target during the first year itself, and hence 100 per cent of the GPs would be developed much before 2022.
February: Bangla bagged e-governance award for Sabooj Sathi & e-excise
The Sabooj Sathi Scheme and the e-excise project (part of the State Government’s department-wide e-governance project) received national awards in e-governance. These projects were adjudged the best among 950 projects from 28 States.
March: Investment proposals worth Rs 2,000 crore received at Hill Business Summit
Investment proposals worth Rs 2,000 crore were received at the first-ever Hill Business Summit, in the sectors of food processing, hospitality, dairy, fisheries (aquarium), horticulture (orchids), tea (tea tourism), agriculture-based industries and steel.
April: Safe Drive Save Life – Road accidents down by 22% in 2 years
As a result of the state-wide Safe Drive Save Life campaign, launched by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bangla witnessed a 22 per cent reduction in road accidents in the first quarter of 2018, compared to the corresponding period in 2016. Fatalities due to road accidents have also gone down, by 18 per cent, in the same time period.
May: 6 districts from Bangla shine in 100 Days’ Work
Six districts of Bangla – Cooch Behar, Jhargram, Bankura, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and Jalpaiguri – were adjudged among the best in the country for performance under MGNREGA, better known as the 100 Days’ Work Scheme.
June: 31 projects bag SKOCH Order of Merit Awards
For the first time, Bangla won the highest number of SKOCH awards. This is another proof of the success that the Trinamool Congress Government, under the inspiring leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has had with its series of projects for the overall development of the State.
July: Chief Minister chairs meeting on effective utilisation of resources
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee chaired a meeting at Nabanna to discuss about effective utilisation of resources, to ensure the stopping of wasteful expenditure and the proper extension of government services to the people.
August: Bangla receives substantial investments in MSME sector
Bangla received substantial investments – orders worth Rs 113 crore – at the State MSME Conclave.
September: Bangla CM visits Europe for inviting investors to the State
Mamata Banerjee visited Germany and Italy and met several industry captains and government representatives for bringing investments to Bangla.
October: Durga Puja Bishorjon Carnival creates history
The annual Durga Puja Bishorjon Carnival was held in Kolkata. Since 2016, this annual immersion carnival, a brainchild of Mamata Banerjee, is being organised by the State Government. This year, the carnival got record number of views on Facebook, and created history.
November: Kolkata Film Festival draws a huge crowds
The 2018 edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) was held with much fanfare. This year, the festival celebrated hundred years of Bengali cinema, among other things.
KIFF is now a true mass event. The mass leader that Mamata Banerjee is, she made KIFF an event for the masses, but without compromising on quality. Varieties of films are shown now – entertaining, middle-of-the-road, as well as of a higher order.
December: Mamata Banerjee named SKOCH Chief Minister of the Year
Mamata Banerjee was chosen as the best chief minister of the country by the Skoch Group, for which she was awarded the prestigious SKOCH Chief Minister of the Year Award.
