February 6, 2019
Mega infra push in Bangla under Trinamool
Over the last seven-and-a-half years, Bangla under the Trinamool Congress Government has seen massive investment in infrastructure, both from the government sector and the private sector.
At the 5th Bengal Global Business Summit, being held from February 7 to 8, the State Government has decided to give special importance to the highly successful infrastructure sector.
In the current financial year, that is, April 2018 to March 2019, the government has already spent Rs 33,000 crore for developing physical infrastructure. The amount has been spent across the State – in gram panchayat areas, towns and cities – for constructing roads, bridges, dams, irrigation canals and various other facilities and structures.
With so much being spent, it is but natural to focus on this sector at the BGBS, where representatives from top companies across the globe participate.
To make it easier for companies in all sectors, the Trinamool Congress Government has instituted the single-window scheme, wherein all permissions like fire, water, etc. can be obtained from a single place, and most of the processes have been made online too.
Here is a brief overview of the infrastructural developments
- Bridges and flyovers completed (in Kolkata and other places): Maa Flyover, Garden Reach Flyover, Baguiati Flyover (all in Kolkata), Dakshineswar Rani Rashmoni Skywalk, Jangal Kanya Setu in Bhasraghat, Lalgarh Bridge in Aamkala, Mridanga Setu in Bolerbajar
- Infrastructure development project worth Rs. 12,000 crore is under way – Mechogram to Morgram, North-South Road Corridor, Bhutan-Bangladesh Asian Highway 48, Nepal-Bangladesh Asian Highway 2
- India’s first private sector greenfield airport in Andal, Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport – a joint venture with Changi Airport International, Singapore – operationalised.
- Expenditure on social Infrastructure (education, sports, art & culture, health & family welfare, water supply, sanitation, housing, information & broadcasting, labour & labour welfare, welfare of SCs, STs and OBCs, social welfare and nutrition) has increased more than four times, from Rs 6,845 crore in 2010-11 to Rs. 28,561 crore in 2017-18.
- Expenditure on physical infrastructure (energy, industry and minerals, transport, science technology and environment, general economic service) has increased more than 3.6 times, from Rs 1,758 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 6,456 crore in 2017-18.
- The scope of the Land Purchase Policy introduced by the State Government in 2014 has been extended to include infrastructure projects with a new look and with special features like inclusion of projects of departments of the Government of India, apart from State Government projects, in a comprehensive, fair and transparent manner and without any coercion for such purchase.
- New development authorities: For the upgrading of existing infrastructure and creation of new tourist attractions in planned manner, eight development authorities have been constituted. They are Gangasagar Bakkhali Development Authority (in 2013), Furfurah Sharif Development Authority (in 2015), Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority (in 2015), Bakreswar Development Authority (in 2016), Patharchapuri Development Authority (in 2016), Mukutmanipur Development Authority (in 2017), Changrabandha Development Authority (2017) and Tarakeswar Development Authority (2017). Area extension work has been done for Gangasagar Bakkhali Development Authority, Haldia Development Authority, Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority and New Town Kolkata Development Authority.
- 26,300km of rural roads constructed/renovated
- 1.71 lakh hectares brought under irrigation, with the help of various new irrigation facilities
- Creation of infrastructure related to information technology has increased by more than 16 times in the last seven years with a total outlay of Rs 293.97 crore in financial year (FY) 2016-17
- 100 per cent of villages electrified under Sabar Ghare Alo scheme
- 1,000 Youth Computer Training Centres operational under PPP mode
- Letter-of-Credit system abolished, and all works of all departments brought under the Treasury System
- 1.5 lakh students provided training in IT and ITeS
- About 30 lakh people supported with housing infrastructure
- 69,306km of quality rural roads constructed
- With 13 per cent of national coastline, Bangla tops in terms of spread, density and reach of National Waterways
- Entire Tajpur Port being developed by State Government
- Bangla leads in railway network density – 45.9km per 10,000 sq km, which is well above the national average of 35.9km per 10,000 sq km, boasts road density of 333.5 km per 1,000 sq km, which is considerably higher than national average 139.1 km/1,000 sq km
- Bangla is the best in the country in power quality, ranks first in power availability, and is the largest in India’s power distribution
- Kolkata port is the biggest tea-handling port in the country
