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In a move aimed at bringing huge relief to the farmers of Bengal, the State Government has decided to make available to farmers machines for setting up micro-irrigation facilities (that is, sprinkler machines) by just paying the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The sprinkler machines being distributed, called rainguns, cost Rs 31,000 each, and carry a GST of Rs 4,050.

With the State Government bearing 55 per cent of its cost under the Bangla Krishi Sech Yojana and the remaining 45 per cent being given through other agriculture schemes, farmers need to pay nothing to buy the machines apart from the GST.

A raingun ensures better irrigation across 100 bighas of land, compared to 40 bighas by a submersible pump.

Besides ensuring a proper mechanism for systematic micro-irrigation, the State Agriculture Minister will also be visiting the districts that recorded unusual rainfall, from December 8 to 28.

Source: Millennium Post

4The State Self-Help Group & Self-Employment (SHG&SE) Department has collaborated with the Correctional Services Department for a massive education drive through the process of vocational training programmes for the inmates of the correctional homes across the State.

The idea is to develop their skill & expertise, so that they get employment after their release.

The West Bengal Swarojgar Corporation Ltd (WBSCL), an undertaking of the state SHG&SE Department, that imparts skill-based job oriented training to unemployed people, will launch this programme in the correctional homes.

According to a senior official of the WBSCL, the main target group for the training will be those inmates who are slated to complete their prison term within a period of six months to one year.

The inmates after their release will be linked with the flagship scheme – Swami Vivekananda Swanirbhar Karmasanasthan Prakalpa – to support them for self-employment. Around 30 inmates from each of the correctional homes will receive training and will be awarded certificates after successful completion of the training.

It may be mentioned that there are as many as 78 vocations in which the WBSCL provides training. The total cost for the project is around Rs 2 crore and for the first year it will involve Rs 1 crore.

Source: Millennium Post

The State Women & Child Development Minister has said that skill development, greater exposure to technology and better coordination with education and health systems will help address the vulnerability of adolescents.

Speaking at a workshop on October 9, the minister said that nutritional needs of adolescents were being taken care of by the existing government schemes. But areas of self-reliance could be strengthened by linking them with ‘Kanyashree’ and ‘Utkarsh Bangla’, a skill development programme for youth, she added.

A group of adolescents at the workshop described how a pilot programme at a Kolkata Municipal Corporation ward, under the aegis of the department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, has brought positive changes in their lives. The pilot programme had been undertaken at Ward no. 26 to meet the need to create safe spaces for the adolescents.

To boost small-scale industries in the State, the State Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and Textiles (MSME&T) Department is going to organise the next Synergy summit in Durgapur. The summit which will be organised on November 15, will cover the districts of Birbhum, and Purba and Paschim Bardhaman.

Three Synergy summits have already been organised, in Siliguri, Malda (covering the north Bengal districts) and Bankura. The summit in Bankura was for the Jangalmahal cluster, and covered the districts of Bankura, Purulia and Paschim Medinipur.

Besides entrepreneurs, the industrial development officers (IDOs) of the three districts will be present at the Durgapur summit.

According to the additional chief secretary of the State Government, local issues will get sorted at the synergy, besides discussions on measures needed for further development of the MSME sector in the region. The entrepreneurs will also get to know about the various supports that the Bangla Government provides them to grow their businesses.

It may be mentioned that Bengal tops among all the states in the country in the MSME sector, and it is creating a huge number of job opportunities. The government is taking all necessary steps so that more entrepreneurs start investing in the MSME sector.

These summits are being organised as the result of a proposal given by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the Synergy MSME summit in July, where she suggested holding zone-wise business summits for small-scale entrepreneurs.

Source: Millennium Post

Like last year, this year too the State Food and Supplies Department has decided to introduce a special ration package on the occasion of Kali Puja. Included in the list of products are edible oil, atta and sugar.

The package would be available to people enlisted in the Antyodaya Anna Yojana and those belonging to special categories, both under the National Food Security Act.

About 3 crore people would get the benefits. This package was made available for the Durga Puja too, and ran from October 9 to 23. For the occasion of Kali Puja, it would be run from October 30 to November 13.

A litre of mustard oil would be available for Rs 101 and 500ml for Rs 52. A litre of rice bran oil would be available for 94 and 500ml for Rs 48.50. People can avail 500g each of sugar and atta twice during the 15-day period.

The 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was observed with due honour in Bangla today. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended a function at Beleghata today where she launched the renovation work of Gandhi Bhavan. She also laid the foundation stone for Mahatma Gandhi University at Tamluk.

Highlights of Mamata Banerjee’s speech:

• Gandhiji often sat on dharnas and anshans. He led the country from here (Beleghata) once. He gave the message of ahimsa to the world. There were times when he fought alone against riots.
• Gandhiji used to say his life is an example in itself, for others to emulate.
• There is a difference in politics of that era and the present situation. The country was not free at that time. Now we are independent. However, in many spheres we are still not free.
• Many people laid down their lives to make the country free. Like rest of the country, Bengal also participated in the freedom struggle. There was a tide of freedom movements in Bengal. Kolkata was once the capital of India. Bengal played a significant role at that time.
• Bengal led the national struggle, cultural struggle, struggle for harmony, education. Bengal was the land of renaissance.
• Some people only post pictures on social media nowadays, and deliver speeches, to show that they are following Gandhiji’s ideals. But when Gandhiji was alive, they rejected his philosophies.
• Gandhi embodies struggle. He was rooted. He believed in harmony, amity, unity. He was against discrimination. He was against casteism. He worked for all.
• Gandhi led many movements – salt movement, Champaran protests, Dandi abhiyan, non-cooperation, civil disobedience and many more. But he always laid stress on ahimsa. He never approved of violence.
• Everyone is aware of Gandhiji’s association with this house in Beleghata. The day India achieved independence, he was present here. From 6 August 1947 till 15 September, he was here, trying to stop communal riots. People belonging to both Hindu and Muslim communities surrendered their weapons before him.
• Rabindranath had called Gandhiji ‘Mahatma’. Netaji had called Gandhiji the father of the nation. There is substitute for Gandhiji.
• We have acquired Gandhi Bhavan. Some places are testimony of our history for our younger generations. We are renovating this house at an expense of Rs 3.5 crore. A museum will be set up here. Calcutta University will set up a chair named after Gandhiji. The higher education department will start a scholarship programme named after Gandhiji.
• Before India attained freedom, the country was declared free at three places: Satara in Maharashtra, Baliya in UP and Tamluk (Mahishadal) in Bengal. We have laid the foundation stone for Mahatma Gandhi University today, which will come up at Tamluk.
• We are all one. We spread the message of peace in Bengal. This land cannot be bought with money power. Politics of religious extremism and polarisation will not work here. We cannot be intimidated. Bengal must be loved. This is not the land of cowards. We have move forward. We have to dream of a new dawn.
• We will celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji in 2019. Year long celebrations have been launched today.