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The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to introduce movable bio-toilets in the market areas and other crowded areas within its jurisdiction.

A bio-toilet converts human waste, by a biological process called composting, into compost that can then be used to enrich soil for growing plants and crops.

Besides the culturing of compost, the ones to be installed by the KMC would be movable, and so would also have the advantage of not requiring permanent space. The bio-toilets would complement the already-existing permanent toilets.

Source: Aajkaal

To decrease some load off the shoulders of farmers, the State Government has decided to set up agricultural machinery-hiring hubs at primary agricultural cooperative societies (PACS) by investing Rs 300 crore.

In the first phase, these hubs or centres would be set up in 1,000 PACSs across the State. There, machines for a range of agricultural activities, from sowing seeds to cutting paddy, would be available for leasing at prices 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than the market rates. Currently, farmers in several districts hire these machines from private units at high prices.

Already, Rs 91.6 crore has been granted for the setting up of these centres at 302 PACSs. Training is also being provided to ensure local youths are the beneficiaries of operating these machines.

At each centre, up to Rs 50 lakh would be invested. Forty per cent of the amount would be given as loan, 20 per cent as a subsidy amount for the hub and the rest 20 per cent would be invested jointly by the State Cooperation Department and the PACS.

Through this arrangement, on the one hand, farmers would reap benefits as their cost of production of decrease and on the other hand, the PACSs would be able to earn some revenue.

Source: Ei Samay

The State Animal Husbandry Department is stepping up its act. After successfully establishing the brand, Haringhata Meat in Bangla, it is now out to woo the taste buds of Delhi.

During the World Food India Festival in the national capital, held from November 3 to 5, the department had put up a stall selling products produced by Haringhata Farm. Meat products made from black Bengal goat, koel, turkey, duck, pork and lamb were sold.

The stall drew a large number of people. The feedback from the buyers has been very encouraging.

Following up on this success, the department has decided on this latest course – opening a permanent store for Haringhata Meat.

The 120 sq ft store would be set up in the Kalibari area in Chittaranjan Park, which has traditionally been the hub of Bengalis in Delhi. Two department employees would run the store.

The products would be sent from Haringhata Farm in special refrigerated vans, called reefer vans, with temperatures to be maintained at -18 degrees Centigrade.

The vans would have remote temperature control facility. So, a team in Kolkata would be monitoring the vans. If the temperature is seen to change even the slightest degree, suitable instructions would be passed on to the driver to correct that.

At a time, 12 tonnes of products would be transported. It would three days for a van to reach Delhi.

Source: Aajkaal

With the onset of winter, the demand for big fish species has also risen in the State. In keeping with this demand, the State Fisheries Development Corporation (SFDC), which is part of the Fisheries Department, has decided to increase the production of these species.

The government is making every effort to increase the annual production of big fish to 3 lakh metric tonnes every year. The demand, as per the government, is 2.5 lakh metric tonnes.

From 2011, when the Trinamool Congress Government came to power, the supply of big fish has risen by quite a few times in the State. Currently, about 7 lakh metric tonnes of fish are produced annually, including big fish.

Source: Khabar 365 Din

The State Tribal Development Department has undertaken a special intervention programme for the development of vulnerable tribal groups like Shabar (Lodha), Birhore and Toto, worth Rs 12.9 crore. It would be spent in the financial year (FY) 2018-19.

The department has conducted a survey following the instruction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

According to the 2011 census, the Shabar population in the State is around 40,000, of whom 18,000 reside in Jhargram district. There are 1,500 Totos, who stay in Madarihat-Birpara block of Alipurduar, while there are 365 Birhores who live in the Ayodhya Hills of Purulia.

It has been decided that new dwelling houses under Bangla Awas Yojana will be constructed, while the houses that are in bad shape will be repaired or renovated. The State Government will also conduct a special drive to provide drinking water in the tribal habitations.

Self-Help Groups (SHG) will be set up to provide better livelihood. Cattle and goat rearing, backyard poultry, horticulture and floriculture, orchard and kitchen gardening will be encouraged.

Tribal department officials, along with the local gram panchayat officials, will visit the areas to encourage the beneficiaries and make them aware of the various schemes that are being taken up by the government.

Agriculture will be boosted by improving the irrigation system. Special emphasis will be given on the traditional handicraft products and on giving them skill training and design development.

Artisan clusters will be developed and soft loans will be given to the artisans under various subsidy schemes.

Awareness campaigns will be launched about the schemes taken up by the State Government and how they are going to benefit the tribal people.

It may be mentioned that supply of rice at Rs 2 a kilo by the State Government has helped the tribal people enormously.

Source: The Statesman

As a result of the policies of the Bangla Government, North Bengal is drawing substantial investment.

At the North Bengal Conclave in Siliguri recently, organised jointly by the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Finance Minister Dr Amit Mitra said that an investment of Rs 4,500 crore has been finalised, of which works worth Rs 823.95 crore has been completed and works worth Rs 971.98 crore are ongoing.

He further said that proposals worth Rs 2,700.71 crore have been made at the conclave, including for the Scheme for Approved Industrial Parks (SAIP), which would be fulfilled in the next financial year (2019-20).

The State Government has launched special projects by providing opportunities to the private sector to set up industrial parks, a scheme called SAIP, and under which, at present, four industrial parks are being developed in Jalpaiguri and Dakshin Dinajpur districts.

In the coming year,North Bengal is going to get 15 industrial parks, thanks to the State Government, of which the work for six has already started.

Dr Mitra also said that the government is very keen on promoting North Bengal through investing in sectors like food processing, tea, fish feed, pharmaceuticals, textiles, cold storage, plastic processing and polymers.

At the conclave, the managing director of the WBIDC, said West Bengal’s merchandise exports were worth US$ 9.14 billion in 2017-18 with an annual growth rate of 11.05 per cent.

She also said that the WBIDC has created the Export Promotion Cell, which, among other things, would hold regular review meetings.

Source: The Statesman

The State Education Department has identified 65 schools which will begin offering instructions in English too from the next academic year (from January 2019). Bengali medium, though, will continue to exist in these schools.

These schools will have English medium facilities from Class V. This was announced by the Education Minister recently.

He further said that the government has plans to set up 100 English-medium schools which will have facilities for education in English medium right from pre-primary, up to the higher secondary level.

The department has already identified teachers for the 65 schools from among those who have a background of having studied in English medium. If more teachers are required, they will be hired through proper procedure, said a senior official of the department.

A meeting of the State Cabinet was held today at Nabanna, which was chaired by the Chief Minister. That apart, the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure also held a meeting today. Several important and revolutionary decisions were passed at today’s meeting, which the Chief Minister communicated to the press.

Decisions at the Cabinet meeting:

1. The leather industry of Bangla is receiving investments from several quarters. Nearly 1.2 lakh people are already employed in the industry. Another 1,000 applications have been received for fresh investment in the sector. 350 acres are required. Once the investments take shape, three lakh people will get employment.

2. Every year 12 lakh people have to do mutation for buying or selling land. Sometimes, the process can be cumbersome and inconvenient for people. Hence, the State Government has taken the revolutionary decision to make the process fully online. People will no longer need to go to BLR office physically for this purpose.

It may be mentioned, mutation fee on agricultural land, and khajna tax on agricultural land has already been waived off by the government. Even affidavits can be self-certified now.

3. The government has also given a go ahead to the regularisation of settlers on 1,618 acres of khas mahal land in Kharagpur. One lakh people will benefit because of this decision.

4. A 10 MW solar power plant will come up at Kharagpur.

5. The government has already provided long-term settlement to 462 families in Alipurduar. Settlement of others is also under process. Refugee colonies under the purview of the State Government are already being regularised. The government has requested the Centre to regularise the colonies under their jurisdiction.

6. Flipkart is investing Rs 991 crore for setting up a logistics hub in Bangla. This will create 10,000 employment opportunities. Land has already been provided from industrial park; more land was allocated today.
These decisions have been taken keeping the welfare of citizens in mind. Christmas greetings to all.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to increase the capacity of the water treatment plant in Dhapa in Kolkata. The official name of the treatment plant is Jai Hind Jal Prakalpa.

The plant supplies potable water to large areas located off the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass and Jadavpur and its adjacent areas, including Kalikapur, Naskarhat, Anandapur, Madurdaha, Mukundapur, Patuli, Jadavpur, Baghajatin, Santoshpur, Garfa, Haltu and other areas.

The untreated water is drawn from Mayer Ghat in Baghbazar, on the Hooghly River. The project is expected to be completed in one year.

The current capacity is 30 million gallons per day (GPD), which is to be augmented by another 10 million GPD to touch 40 million GPD. More than two lakh people will be benefitted.

According to a KMC official, the blueprint of the project is ready, and that, besides the work on capacity enhancement, water piper also need to be laid in areas where residents have no access to piped water.

Source: The Times of India

The Bangla Government aims to provide skill development training to six lakh youths within the current financial year, said the Technical Education, Training & Skill Development Minister recently. The training would ensure that the unemployed youths become economically independent.

Training has already been provided to 2.5 lakh unemployed youths, while the remaining number of candidates would complete the courses within March 31, 2019.

The minister said that after completion of the training programmes, the youths will get the opportunity to enlist in the placement programmes set up by the government, or they can also opt to start up their own businesses.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has laid great stress on the generation of employment in the State, through technical training. The Utkarsh Bangla Scheme, a landmark scheme of the government, has been providing vocational training among unemployed youths.

Source: Millennium Post