SS Roy speaks during Zero Hour regarding TPAs cheating Mediclaim policyholders

The Third Party Administrators (TPAs) appointed by the Government Insurance companies are cheating mediclaim policyholders. This has been going on for a long time. They have no right to do so.

As par Insurance Regulatory & Development Guidelines, TPAs cannot slash either the claims or reject the claim in any manner, whatsoever. This is the right of an insurance company to assess claims and then reduce or reject them. TPAs cannot do that. But thousands of mediclaim policy holders are suffering because of them.

We demand that a special audit be conducted with the help of CAG to ascertain the number of policy holders duped by the TPAs in the last five years. This is nothing less than a scam. There is a nexus between insurance companies and NPAs.

Let the audit be conducted and a report be submitted before the Parliament.

 

Thank you, Sir.

After Flipkart, Bengal’s Tantuja sarees now available on Amazon

Tantuja sarees will now be available on the multinational online shopping store Amazon. The State Micro Industries Minister Swapan Debanth on Tuesday inaugurated the system at Tantuja Bhavan.

Tantuja had earlier tied up with Flipkart and had sold products worth Rs 50 lakhs in a year.

Tantuja – the State Handloom Weavers Society, continued to be in profit successively for the third year. Starting with a modest profit of Rs 25 lakh in 2013-14 after a gap of 40 years it went on to make an operational profit of Rs. 2.5 crore in 2014-15. In 2015-16 it reached a new high of an operational profit of Rs.3.30 crore against a business turnover of Rs.123 crore.

West Bengal Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had taken huge initiatives to boost Bengal’s tant industry and the weavers. The Tant Sathi scheme has also been launched for the weavers. As a result, the newer platforms have been a blessing to them.

 

Image Courtesy: Bartaman 

 

ফ্লিপকার্টের পর এবার আমাজনেও পাওয়া যাবে তন্তুজ শাড়ি

ফ্লিপকার্টের পর এবার থেকে বহুজাতিক অনলাইন শপিং পোর্টাল অ্যামাজনেও মিলবে তন্তুজের শাড়ি। ক্ষুদ্র ও কুটির শিল্পমন্ত্রী স্বপন দেবনাথ মঙ্গলবার সল্টলেকের তন্তুজ ভবনে এই ব্যবস্থার আনুষ্ঠানিক উদ্বোধন করেন। অনুষ্ঠানে উপস্থিত ছিলেন অ্যামাজনের আধিকারিকরাও।

এক বছরে ফ্লিপকার্ট থেকে তন্তুজর ব্যবসা হয়েছে প্রায় ৫০ লক্ষ টাকা।

তন্তুজ – স্টেট হ্যান্ডলুম ওয়েভার সোস্যাইটি গত তিন বছর ধরে লাভের মুখ দেখছে। ৪০ বছর পর ২০১৩-১৪ আর্থিক বর্ষে লাভের পরিমাণ ২৫ লক্ষ টাকা। ২০১৪-১৫ আর্থিক বর্ষে লাভের পরিমাণ ২.৫ কোটি টাকা। ২০১৫-১৬ আর্থিক বর্ষে এই লাভের পরিমাণ পৌঁছেছে ৩.৩০ কোটি টাকা।

পশ্চিমবঙ্গের মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় তাঁত শিল্পের উন্নয়নের জন্য বিশেষ উদ্যোগ গ্রহণ করেছেন। তাঁতিদের জন্য চালু করা হয়েছে ‘তাঁতি সাথী’ প্রকল্প।

WB CM inaugurates Purulia Govt Engineering College

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee chaired an administrative meeting at Purulia district today. During the meeting, she inaugurated a government engineering college at Purulia. This is the first government engineering college in the State in the last 20 years.

The college would have all the required infrastructure (academic block, administrative block, student activity centre, separate hostels for boys and girls among other things). Eighty one teachers and 31 non-teaching staff will be recruited for the college.

Affiliated to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Purulia Government Engineering College will offer graduate-level courses in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, Computer Science engineering, electronics and communication engineering.

Classes for the first batch will commence on 10 August with 300 students selected via West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination.

The Chief Minister addressed a press conference after the administrative revie meeting.

Highlights of her speech:

  • Major roads are being constructed in Bankura and Purulia at a cost of Rs 340 Cr, it will benefit people hugely
  • A major industrial corridor is coming up between Amritsar and Kolkata, this will connect Purulia and Bankura as well
  • Out of 12 Kisan Bazars, 6 are ready in this district which will be inaugurated tomorrow
  • We have started youth hostels, cottages and roadways in the Ayodhya Hills area, this will boost tourism in the region
  • We also held discussions on all the social schemes such as Kanyashree, Khadya Sathi, Shikshashree and other schemes

 

আজ পুরুলিয়ায় সরকারি ইঞ্জিনিয়ারিং কলেজের উদ্বোধন করেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী

আজ পুরুলিয়ায় প্রশাসনিক বৈঠক করেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। বৈঠককালে তিনি পুরুলিয়ায় সরকারি ইঞ্জিনিয়ারিং কলেজের উদ্বোধন করেন। গত ২০ বছরে এটি রাজ্যের প্রথম সরকারি ইঞ্জিনিয়ারিং কলেজ।

কলেজ সব প্রয়োজনীয় অবকাঠামো (একাডেমিক ব্লক, প্রশাসনিক ব্লক, ছাত্র কার্যকলাপ কেন্দ্র, ছেলেদের এবং অন্যান্য বিষয়ের মধ্যে মেয়েদের জন্য আলাদা হোস্টেল) রয়েছে। আশি জন শিক্ষক এবং ৩১ জন স্টাফ কলেজের জন্য নিয়োগ করা হবে।

পশ্চিমবঙ্গ জয়েন্ট এন্ট্রান্স পরীক্ষার মাধ্যমে নির্বাচিত ৩০০জন শিক্ষার্থী নিয়ে ১০ই আগস্ট প্রথম ব্যাচের ক্লাস শুরু হবে।

বৈঠকের পর সাংবাদিকদের মুখোমুখি হন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী।

 

এখানে মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর বক্তব্যের কিছু বিষয়ঃ

বাঁকুড়া ও পুরুলিয়া জেলায় ৩৪০ কোটি টাকা ব্যয়ে অনেক রাস্তা তৈরির প্রকল্প নেওয়া হয়েছে, এগুলি সম্পূর্ণ হলে মানুষের অনেক উপকার হবে

অমৃতসর ও কলকাতার মধ্যে একটি শিল্প করিডর তৈরি করা হচ্ছে, এর মাধ্যমে বাঁকুড়া ও পুরুলিয়াকেও যুক্ত করা হবে

১২ টি কৃষক বাজারের মধ্যে ৬টির কাজ ইতিমধ্যেই সম্পূর্ণ হয়ে গেছে, এগুলি আগামীকাল উদ্বোধন করা হবে

অযোধ্যা পাহাড় এলাকায় আমরা যুব আবাস, কটেজ এবং রাস্তা তৈরি করছি যার ফলে সাধারণ মানুষের অনেক সুবিধা হবে

শিক্ষাশ্রী, কন্যাশ্রী, খাদ্য সাথী সহ বিভিন্ন সামাজিক প্রকল্প নিয়েও বৈঠকে আলোচনা হয়েছে

 

WB CM warns against filling up of water bodies

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday issued strict instructions to police to take stern steps against promoters and all others filling up water bodies in the state, and said no one should not be spared.

“I have instructed the police to take strong action against any attempts to fill up water bodies for building construction. Previously, there had been many cases of illegal filling up of water bodies. I will not tolerate any such menace in future,” the Chief Minister said at Nabanna on Tuesday.

She said the police have been directed to take action against the offenders responsible for filling up water bodes irrespective of political affiliations. “The police will not spare any offender, whichever party he might be associated with. The offender will not be spared even if he refers to my name. The offender has no political or religious colour,” the chief minister said.

She also said anyone trying to expand his or own business taking the name of Trinamool will not be spared. “I will not allow anyone to use Trinamool’s name for personal benefit,” she said.

 

বেআইনিভাবে জলাশয় ভরাট করার বিরুদ্ধে সোচ্চার হলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী

জলাশয় ভরাট ও বেআইনি প্রোমোটিংয়ের বিরু‌দ্ধে অত্যন্ত কড়া মনোভাব নিলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়৷ মঙ্গলবার মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় পুলিশকে কঠোর নির্দেশ দেন যে যারা জলাশয় ভরাট করছে তাদের কঠোর পদক্ষেপ গ্রহণ করার এবং তিনি বলেন কাউকে বরদাস্ত কড়া হবে না।

মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মঙ্গলবার নবান্নে সাংবাদিক বৈঠকে বলেন, “জলাশয় ভরাট করলে পুলিশকে কঠোর ব্যবস্থা নিতে হবে৷ অভিযোগ সত্যি হলে দ্রূত ব্যবস্থা নেবে পুলিশ৷ রাতের অন্ধকারে দুষ্কৃতী পাঠিয়ে জলাশয় ভরাট করে প্রোমোটিং মেনে নেব না”।

“অনেক সময়ই এইসব ক্ষেত্রে তৃণমূলের নাম জড়িয়ে ফেলা হয়৷ কিন্তু অভিযোগ কতটা গ্রহণযোগ্য, তা দেখতে হবে পুলিশকেই। পুলিশকে আরও প্রোঅ্যাকটিভ হতে হবে৷ শান্তি বজায় রাখা পুলিশের কাজ৷” তাঁর কথায়, “অপরাধী অপরাধীই৷ তার কোনও জাত, ধর্ম, বর্ণ নেই৷”

তিনি বলেন, “কেউ কেউ দলের নাম করে নিজের ব্যবস্থা করছে, ব্যক্তিস্বার্থ দেখছে৷ আমি কাউকে ব্যক্তিগত সুবিধার জন্য তৃণমূলের নাম ব্যবহার করার অনুমতি দেব না”।

 

Vivek Gupta speaks on Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2016 | Full Transcript

Sir, pehle main aapko dhanyavad dena chahta hoon mujhe is Benami Bill par bolne ka mauka dene ke liye. Bolne se pehle ek purani Hindi film se do line sunana chahta hoon. Yeh sarkar shayad yeh hi khojne ki cheshta kar rahi hain:

Gumnaam hain koi benaam hain koi

Kisko khabar kaun hain woh anjaan hain koi

Sir, aj main khara hua hoon Bill ko support karne ke liye. Sarkar ka kale dhan ko wapas karne ke liye sarkar jo bhi kanoon banana chahti usme hum log hamesha saath the aur rahenge. But, Sir, kuch baatein dimag ke samajh main nahin aa rahi. Mein aap ke madhyam se mananiya mantra ji se clarification chahunga.

Sir, yeh ek proven fact hain ki 1% se kam abaadi jo hain yeh crimes commit karti kale dhan wale. Magar kanoon aisa banaye jaata ki 99% ko takleef ho jati hain. Main udaharan de ke bataunga. Is benami kanoon mein yeh kaha gaya hain ki kuch mahino main ya kuch dino mein aap ko bata dena hain ki benami hain ki nahi hain. Sir, ek hamara fauji hain, woh Kashmir mein jang lar raha hain, woh jang chor ke wapas aayega batane ke liye ki yeh property benami hain ki nahin?

Sir, criminal court mein bhi, CPC mein bhi 7 saal tak kisi bhi aadmi ko gumshuda nahin mana jata hain. Toh, Sir, yeh kis kanoon ko hum mane; alag alag kanoon mein, Sir, alag alag pravdhaan hain. Inko agar clarify karke ek jagah ek kanoon kar diya jaaye.

Thodi din pehle Sushma Ji bata rahi thi ki hazaron log Saudi Arabia mein phase huye. Ab jab tak woh wapas nahin aayenge, toh unki property yahan koi na koi benaam bata kar harap dega. Sir, unki madat kaise ki jaaye us bare mein hum logon ko sochna chahiye. Jabhi bhi iske rules bane, aisa pravdhaan hona chahiye ki jo log kisi bhi karan se do do teen teen saal bahar rehte – kaam ke liye rehna parta, kisi ko ilaaj ke liye rehna parta, kabhi koi kisi cheez ke liye rehna parta hain – toh unko unnecessary takleef yahan par nahin ho.

Sir, yeh Bill ki jo bhasha hain, jab humlog parte hain – meri samajh mein jo aa raha wohi bol raha hoon, agar Mantri ji chahe toh correct kar de, ho sakta hain mera samjha hua galat hain – yeh maan liya gaya hain is Bill mein ki jitne land records hain Bharatvarsh mein, sare computerised aur saare up-to-date hain. Matlab sab ko maloom hain sabki zameen kaun kaun kab kab kahan kahan hain, sabka demarcation hua hain. Sir, mujhe toh aisa nazar nahin aata hain. Agar Mantri ji bata de ki saare Bharatvarsh mein sari zameen ekdum computerised, digitised aur saara sab kuch hain, saare land records up-to-date hain, bahut badhiya baat hain. Lekin aisa baat hain nahin, Sir. Aur iske karan bahut baat vivaad hota hain.

Sir, doosra isme yeh maan liye giya hain ki Bharat ki jitne bhi nagarik hain woh kisi na kisi High Court ke aas paas mein rehte hain ta ki koi unki property benaami ghoshit karein aur turant 30 deen ke andar woh pahunch jaaye. Sir, mujhe nahin pata ki log court mein woh adjudication aur court ke prakriya se kaise guzar payenge.

Teesra, isme yeh maan liya gaya hain ki jo babulog hain aur jitne bhi log zimmedar hain, woh jitni bhi shikayetein honge woh ekdam samay samay mitwara kar denge. Sir yahan 3 crore cases pending pare huye hain, woh nahin salat rahin hain, complaints kahan se niptenge mujhe samajh mein nahin aata. Mein aapke madhyam se Mantri ji se puchunga agar woh kuch roshni daal sake toh bahut achha rahega.

Sir, is mein maan liye gaya, Mantri ji ko dhanyavaad dena chahta hoon aapke madhyam se ki unhone known source kar diya. Sir, abhi bhi magar source poocha ja raha. Sir, source mein ek basic problem aa rahi ki bahut saari sampatti hum logon ko paitrik milti hain – hereditary, jo generations se pass-on hoti hain. Toh clarifications nahin hain is mein ki woh paitrik jo sampatti aa rahi hain usko known source mein maan liya jayega ki nahin jayega.

Toh yeh sab kahin na kahin, main definition mein ‘of income’ hata diya gaua hain magar baki jagah abhi bhi yeh hain ki mujhe aay (income) se, yeh sampatti maine aapne liye arjit ki hain, yeh nahin ki mujhe kahin aur se mili hain. Sir, git bhi hota, bahut saare hain, toh woh known source mein aa jayega. Main chahta hoon agar mantra ji aapka madhyam se clarify kar de toh aur achha rahega.

Sir, mein kuch logon se baat kar raha tha – khaas kar income tax ke log aur jo law-wale hain – woh bol rahe ki bhai Standing Committee se gaya, sab jagah se gaya, magar hum logon ko bula ke hum logon se koi consultation nahi kiya giya. Sir, yeh dukhat baat hain, nahin hona chahiye tha, Sir.

Sir, kuch jo problems mujhe nazar aa rahi hai is Bill me, woh main aap ke madhyam se batana chahta hoon. Jo dusre logon ne kahaan wo me dohoraunga nahi. Videshi dhan ke bare mein kaha gaya, Sir. HSBC aur kayi log aa aa kar humein information de rahe hai, humhe aaj tak kuch nahi kiya.

Sir, yeh jo Bill hai, yeh 1988 se hai. Aap ke madhyam se yeh jaan na chahunga Mantri ji se ki 1988 se le ke aaj tak kitni benami sampatti ko humne pakra aur kya hua uska kuch ankhre hum logon ko de toh pata chalega ki haa ye kaam karyakar kai. Nahi toh Sir hum log sirf kaanoon banate jayenge aur koi fayda nahi hoga.

Sir, 2008 se organized crime pe jo report hai wo Parliament me pending pari hui hai aaj tak koi  karwahi nahi ki gayi. Us mein pura list diya gaya hai ki Bharat ke alag alag shehron me kaha kaha crime walo ki konsi benami sampatti hai.

Sir, Adjudicating Authority mein, ek income tax officer ko aur ek judge ko barabar kar diya gaya hai. Yeh ho nahi sakta Bharat mein. Isko thik kiya jaye. Is pe koi clarification diya jaye. Sir, appeal ke jo pravdhan hai, usko thik se define nahi kiya gaya hai. Is mein logon ko bahut problems ayegi baad me.

Sir, gaon mein – hum sabko pata hai, kayi log yahaan rural areas se hai – jaha trust nahi hota hai aur waha bank nahi hai. Humein prashno se pata chalta hai ki dur dur tak koi bank aur branches nahi hai. Toh wahan pe cash mein transaction karna parta hai.

Sir, bohot pahele yahaan pe ek proposal aya tha ki DEMAT facility di jayegi, logon ke record electronically store kiye jayenge, woh abhi tak nahin hua, yeh aapko aur humko bhi maloom hain. Gaon mein barh aate hain jis mein log, ghar beh jate hain, usme dalil bhi beh jati hain. Aise logon ko thori rihai honi chahiye, Sir.

Sir, ek hi admi ko alag alag kanoon mein alag alag prosecution hain. Is mein kayi kathinai aati hain. Yeh ek hi admi pe ED, Income tax ek sath toot padte hain aur, Sir ,usko bolte hain original record lekar aao. Woh kisko kisko dega uske bade mein bhi kuch synchronization ho jana chahiye.

Sir, main ye kanun pad raha tha. Main bahut bada vakil to nehi hu, thora sa kanun padke jo samajh mein aaya ke kahi kahi State ke laws ke saath conflict aayega, khaas kar tribal laws ke sath. Sir, is pe dhyan rakha jay, is pe kuch rule banaya hai is ko thik kar diya jaye.

Sir, do-tin suggestion hain. Jaisa ki hamare aur sathi ne kaha hum bhi chahenge jo ki land state subject hain, jab bhi aap confiscate karein, aap confiscate karne ke baad usko state ko handover kar de. Sir, yeh laws simplified bana dijiye ta ki logon ko, humko maloom hona chahiye ke kaun chor hain, kaun sadhu. Isko alag alag kar dena chahiye.

Aur Sir, time limits jo hain usko thoda sa relax kar dena chahiye jaise ki main ne kuch ghatanai bataya hain aapko un sab ke beech mein.

Sir ant mein ek line ke saath khatam kar raha hoon:

Pardanasheen logon ko ab beparda karne ka samay aa gaya hai.

 

Thank you sir.

Md Nadimul Haque speaks on The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2016

Sir, I’m happy to state that I come from a State which prides itself in having one of the crown jewels of education – IIT Kharagpur. IIT Kharagpur has thousands of alumni who have played a role in many fields across the world. Sir, IITs are among India’s finer institutes and it is necessary that they become one of the leading centres of excellence in the world.

It is important that the first focus should be on improving the infrastructure, research facilities and faculties in these institutes. It is really unfortunate that none of our IITs are among the top hundred institutes in the world. We actually do not figure in the top 250 in the global rankings. The present Government should invite top international institutes and universities from Europe, America and other parts of the world to bring in world-class infrastructure and research facilities in the already available IITs and also in the new IITs which the Government is planning to set up.

Focus should be more on student and faculty exchange. Joint research programmes should be initiated by both the present and the future IITs. Sir, it will improve the quality of education and will help bring in ideas and knowledge from across the world.

I would like to raise my concern over a fee hike which has happened in the IITs recently. It is unfortunate that the present Government has hiked the fees by more than 100%. I strictly oppose it and would request the Government to roll it back. Sir, there is also the question of scholarships. The amount which the students are getting at present amounts to Rs 12,600, which is very less. Sir, I appeal to them to raise it to Rs 20,000.

Sir, the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s initiatives to six IITs in Tirupati, Palakkad, Goa, Dharwad, Bhilai and Jammu and to bring the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad within the ambit of the Act is fully supported by me. In fact, we are in favour of setting up at least one I IT in each State. This will give more opportunities throughout the length and breadth of the country.

Sir, through you I would like to ask the Minister to not just focus on industry-institute relationship but also to work towards developing a strong alumni network for both cutting-edge technology as well as monetary support to IITs. The alumni network who have gained excellence in their fields and are in leading positions in multinational companies or research centres across the world should be regularly invited to the institutes and their experience and excellence should be utilised for the nation.

It is important that the Government makes sure of the availability of better choices for the students in the country itself so that the trend of going abroad after graduating from the IITs decreases. Thus more funds should be allotted for those students who want to pursue research after their college education is completed. The standards of the IITs which lag behind other IITs should also be raised so that they are brought on par with one another.

Sir, I end with this Urdu couplet:

Raat ko jeet toh sakta nahin lekin yeh chiraag

Raat ko jeet toh sakta nahin lekin yeh chiraag

Kam se kam raat ka nuksaan bahut karta.

 

Thank you, Sir

Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien makes a Point of Order on the GST Bill

Sir, I have a serious Point of Order. Sir, the GST Bill which is circulating today is not the Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha.

The amendments which the Hon’ble Finance Minister has moved are based on that as passed in Lok Sabha. My limited point is, the Bill which we now have with us is actually the Bill which is the one as recommended by the Select Committee.

In Clause 19, Sir, everybody has had an informal agreement that the State will be compensated for five years. But the amendments which are being circulated by the Finance Minister does not contain that amendment. So it may be an oversight. If it is so, let it be known.

Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien speaks during Calling Attention Motion on diversion of funds from EPFO to stock market

Sir, I’m very hopeful that this Calling Attention Motion today will actually get the response of the Labour Minister. I’m hopeful because I don’t think, in the first place, that the Labour Minister himself wants to go ahead with the proposed diversion of funds to stock market. This may have been concocted in two places, Sir. One is in a room very close by where a very senior parliamentarian sits. Or, as I notice today, Sir, in the third row of the treasury benches, where there is another gentleman who has flown away to another Department. He may also enlighten us.

Sir, I heard the speech of the Labour Minister on the Child Labour Bill – you have told us your beautiful life story, you are a practical person, you are a man of the grassroots. We are all behind you and you must do this for us together. Because we know internally, Sir, you may be under certain compulsions.Not only will we be happy, I think a lot of labourers in the country will also be very very happy.

Sir, my colleagues who have spoken before me have quite clearly explained what the problem is, so I’m not going to dwell on the problem. But the root of the problem is that I suspect that you’ve tried to use the American model. The American model has nothing wrong with it if you look at it. But the difference is, Sir, the American model has an independent retirement account which we don’t have. The American model has a social security account which we don’t have and the American model has retirement funds which we don’t have.

All we have is our provident fund. So, this is why I want to use this very serious Calling Attention Motion to alert you that some of the things that Americans do are good for their system but this doesn’t work for us. In the American model, they, invest their funds in low-risk bonds, they have municipal bonds; where do we have municipal bonds? Our stock market is a shallow stock market, our bonds are very, very shallow bonds. Someone was mentioning the casino – today it’s the casino, tomorrow it’s the stock market, next it’ll become something else.

Sir, these four or five banks who’ve been authorised to take this provident fund money (please also check out when it goes up from 5 to 15%. I am sure the Labour Minister will not allow this to happen because in his heart he does not want this to happen) – we’ll need to see where they are putting their funds. My question here is, are they putting their money into their own funds? This is another question.

And, Sir, I want to end. This is serious money, hard-earned money. After six months we don’t want to hear that they’ve come up with another new idea – now they want to go to Bombay Race Course and Chennai Race Course and Kolkata Race Course to invest this money.

 

Thank you, Sir.

Dipak Adhikari makes Zero Hour mention about Ghatal Master Plan

Ami dhanyabad janai amader Mukhyo Mantri Mamatadi-ke jini amar opor bishwas rekhechen. Ami dhanyabad janai amar Lok Sabha kendror protyekta manushke jara amake bhalo beshechen, jara ashirbad korechen, jara dua diyechen, jader jonyo ami ekhane ashte perechi.

I want to thank our Hon’ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has reposed her faith on me and guided me. I want to thank the citizens of my constituency who have showered their love on me, blessed me throughout and helped me reach here.

Ami je bishoyta niye kotha bolte chaichi she bishoyta goto 64 bochor dhore samasya hoye ache. Amader rajye duto district ache – ekta hochhe Purba Medinipur, ekta hochhe Paschim Medinipur. Ei Purba ar  Paschim Medinipur-e 22-ta block-e 20 lakh manuch samashyar modhye ache goto 64 bochor dhore.

The subject that I am going to speak on, is an issue dating back 64 years. There are two districts in my State of West Bengal – West and East Midnapore. 20 lakh people residing in 22 blocks of these districts are suffering due to the problem of floods for the last 64 years.

In 1959, the Man Singh Committee first named a plan called the Ghatal Master Plan. It took 20 years for the Planning Commission to approve the plan, and finally in 1980 the plan was sanctioned; in 1982, the foundation stone was laid. In the same year I was also born. I have grown up so big but the foundation has not turned into Ghatal Master Plan yet.

The plan is such a big proposal, shei jonyo eka Rajya Sarkarer jonyo shombhob na ei plan-ta eka korar. Sheijonyo amader Mukhyo Mantri goto paanch (5) bochor dhore shomane try kore gechen mader prakton ebong bortoman Kendriyo Sarkare kache, jeno ei Ghatal Master Plan-ta hoy.

The plan is such a big proposal that it is not possible for the State Government alone to bear the costs. For the last five years the Chief Minister has been trying hard so that the Ghatal Master Plan becomes a reality soon.

Ami jokhon Dilli-te ashchilam, Ghatal-er kichu lok amake bollo je ei bochor brishtir porimanta onek beshi, abar ei bochor bonya hobe. Toh ei bochor jodi bonya hoy toh amra ki korbo. Madam, bishwas korun amar kache kono jawab chilo na karon goto 64 bochor dhore amra ei jawabta khunjchi je adou ei Ghatal Master Plan-ta hobe ki hobe na.

When I was coming to Delhi, a few people in Ghatal told me that this year the amount of rainfall was very high and they did not know what they will do if the district is flooded. I had no answer, Madam. We are searching for an answer for the last 64 years but we have no idea when this Ghatal Master Plan will materialise.

Through you Madam, I want to know if this Ghatal Master Plan is going to happen, and if it does when is it going to happen and how soon is it going to happen.

Thank you.

Ratna De Nag speaks during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha on the inclusion of Guptipara in the tourism map

Guptipara, commonly known as the Gupta Vrindavan, located at the Balagarh block of Hooghly district in West Bengal is situated in my Lok Sabha constituency. This place is a ‘Centre of Excellence’ due to its cultural structure and spiritual evolution during the centuries together. It is also the birthplace of many eminent personalities in the field of education.

Rath Yatra is one of another great festival here. Lakhs of people assemble here during Rath Yatra festival. The geographical surface of this area is congenial for visitors. And the natural beauty of surrounding is picturesque.

Vast area of land, about 100 acres, is lying waste here. We can utilise it for tourism purposes so that overall development can take place – for example, construction of the metal road, guest houses and archives of heritages, centre for displaying the local produce and selling the local products.

This may lead to boosting of the economy of the people at large together with the conservation of the heritage and the culture of our country.

Through you Madam, I would ask the Hon’ble Minister to include Guptipara in Balagarh block of Hooghly district in West Bengal into the tourism map.

Thank you.