Centre not providing any support for man-made floods in Bengal: Mamata Banerjee

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said the Centre was not providing any support for the ‘man-made floods’ that have left 16 districts badly affected in Bengal. However, the scenario is quite different in Gujarat, where crores of rupees are being given as compensation.

While leaving Nabanna on Thursday evening, she said roads, embankments and bridges have been hit and either washed away or badly damaged due to the floods in the affected areas. Floods have led to huge losses, but the Centre is not providing any support. “They are doing nothing about the flood situation here. I will talk to Chief Secretary Malay De after he returns from Delhi,” she said.

More than 40 people have lost their lives due to floods in various districts of the State. The agriculture sector itself has suffered crores of rupees in losses.

Source: Bartaman

বন্যায় ক্ষতিতে কেন্দ্র সাহায্য করছে না: মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়

রাজ্যে বন্যার ক্ষয়ক্ষতিতে কেন্দ্রীয় সরকার কোনও সাহায্য করছে না। বৃহস্পতিবার সন্ধ্যায় নবান্ন থেকে বেরনোর সময় সাংবাদিকদের প্রশ্নের উত্তরে এই অভিযোগ করেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। তিনি বলেন, বন্যায় রাস্তা, ব্রিজ সব ওয়াশআউট হয়ে গিয়েছে। হাওড়ায় সব ভেঙে গিয়েছে। প্রচুর ক্ষয়ক্ষতি হয়েছে। কেন্দ্রীয় সরকারের কোনও সাহায্য পেয়েছেন কি? জবাবে মুখ্যমন্ত্রী বলেন, ওরা (কেন্দ্র) কিছুই সাহায্য করছে না। এই বিষয়ে কেন্দ্রকে কি চিঠি লিখবেন? মুখ্যমন্ত্রী বলেন, মুখ্যসচিব, স্বরাষ্ট্রসচিব ফিরুক। এ নিয়ে কথা বলব।

নবান্ন সূত্রে জানা গিয়েছে, রাজ্যে এবারের বন্যায় ১২টি জেলায় মোট ৩৬ হাজার ১১০ হেক্টর জমির সবজি চাষ নষ্ট হয়েছে। তার মধ্যে সবচেয়ে বেশি ৮২৪২ হেক্টর জমি নষ্ট হয়েছে দক্ষিণ ২৪ পরগনায়। এরপরে রয়েছে পূর্ব মেদিনীপুর জেলা। সেখানে ক্ষতি হয়েছে ৬৯৮৪ হেক্টর জমির সবজি। তৃতীয় স্থানে পশ্চিম মেদিনীপুর। সেখানে ক্ষতি হয়েছে ৪৯৮০ হেক্টর জমির সবজি। নবান্নের ওই সূত্রটি জানিয়েছে, প্লাবিত ১২টি জেলায় ১৩ হাজার ২৬৩ হেক্টর জমির ধান চাষ নষ্ট হয়েছে। সবচেয়ে বেশি ১৬ হাজার ৯৪০ হেক্টর জমির ধান নষ্ট হয়েছে পূর্ব মেদিনীপুরে। দক্ষিণ ২৪ পরগনা জেলায় নষ্ট হয়েছে ১৩ হাজার ২৬৩ হেক্টর এবং পশ্চিম মেদিনীপুর জেলায় ক্ষতি হয়েছে ১২ হাজার ৩৪৫ হেক্টর জমির ধান চাষ।

 

Bengal Govt observes ‘Sanskriti Dibas’ across the State on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan

Bengal Government is organising state-wide programmes to observe ‘Sanskriti Dibas’ on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

The State Youth Services and Sports Department is hosting the programme following the directions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In 1905, Rabindranath Tagore had observed Raksha Bandhan as a mark of unity between Hindus and Muslims when the British decided to divide Bengal.

‘Sanskriti Dibas’ is being observed in 341 Blocks, 117 municipalities, six Municipal Corporations and in all the 144 wards of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).

It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has time and again spread the message of unity and harmony at various public meetings; she has urged people to uphold the spirit of Bengal which stands for peace, progress and prosperity.

 

রাজ্য জুড়ে রাখী বন্ধন উৎসবকে ‘সংস্কৃতি দিবস’ হিসেবে উদযাপন করছে বাংলা

গত ২১ জুলাই মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় ধর্মতলার শহীদমঞ্চে রাখী পূর্ণিমার দিনটিকে সংস্কৃতি দিবস হিসাবে পালনের সিদ্ধান্ত ঘোষণা করেন। সেই মত রাজ্যের সর্বত্র একযোগে আজ এই উৎসব পালিত হবে।

রাজ্য যুব ও ক্রীড়া দপ্তর মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর নির্দেশ মত এই অনুষ্ঠানের আয়োজন করছে। ১৯০৫ সালে বঙ্গভঙ্গের সিদ্ধান্ত নেন ব্রিটিশরা। সেই সিদ্ধান্তের প্রতিবাদে হিন্দু মুসলিম সম্প্রীতি রক্ষার্থে রাখী বন্ধন অনুষ্ঠান পালন করেন কবিগুরু।

৩৪১টি ব্লকে, ১১৭টি মিউনিসিপালিটিতে ও ৬টি কর্পোরেশন ও কলকাতার ১৪৪টি ওয়ার্ডে পালিত হবে সংস্কৃতি দিবস। রাখীবন্ধনের পাশাপাশি সাংস্কৃতিক অনুষ্ঠান, রক্তদানের মতো সামাজিক কর্মসূচিও নেওয়া হচ্ছে।

প্রসঙ্গত, মুখ্যমন্ত্রী তাঁর প্রতি জনসভায় সাম্প্রদায়িক সম্প্রীতির বার্তা দেন, তিনি জনগণকে বাংলার চিরাচতির সম্প্রীতির বাতাবরণ অক্ষুণ্ণ রাখতে ও বাংলাকে এগিয়ে নিয়ে যাওয়ার আর্জি জানান।

 

Ratna De Nag speaks on The National Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you, Deputy Speaker Sir, for giving me the opportunity to speak. The National Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017, aims to set up an Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy at Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It also declares the institution as one of national importance.

I appreciate the aim of the Bill as it provides high-quality education and research focussing on the theme of petroleum and hydrocarbons energy. The Government is going to pump in Rs. 655.46 crore to achieve this goal. It is stated that the budgetary support for capital expenditure is expected to spread out till 2022-23. Would the Hon Minister state what the plan of action in place is, particularly when our aim is very challenging and amount to be spent is so high?

Sir, the said institute is expected to be a domain-specific energy institute that will serve as the fountainhead of a nurturing, world-class technical human resources capable of serving as leaders and innovators in the field of petroleum technology and energy. What fieldwork has been put in place as of now or proposed to be put up for taking the issue further?

Sir, the said institute isn’t just extending high-quality education but also conducting advanced research in all aspects related to the conventional hydrocarbons. I appreciate the exalted aim. Will the Hon Minister state how he intends to go about this and what initiatives have already been put in place to achieve this aim of quality education and conducting advanced research in petroleum?

About the constitution of the Board of Governors responsible for the general superintendence, direction and control of the affairs of the institute, will they have a General Council of the institute, inter alia, to review both policies and programmes from time to time and suggest measures for the improvement, development and expansion of the institute.

I would like to know from the Hon Minister what measures have been put in place to make the functioning of the institute transparent and accountable? Will the institute have autonomy to steer clear of the impending issue that we face while navigating towards an institute of excellence and that is important in setting a benchmark for other institutions in other fields like agriculture and science et al?

Coming back to the aims of the Bill, what is the stand on this thing? How prepared are we? What are our challenges in the field of petroleum energy? Have we analysed them? Where are we placed vis-a-vis other countries in terms of technology and state-of-the-art innovations in the field of petroleum energy? There is a need to have a relook and a fresh look at the whole gamut of issues and concerns involving providing education and research when our institutions find hardly any place of excellence in hundred out of two hundred best institutions of the world.

There is an urgent need to bring in foreign faculty, who are experts and who know what is happening and what new developments and innovations are taking place in the realm of petroleum energy sector. I hope the Hon Minister endorses this view that there is a lot of room for improvement; and what you would do to strive towards making the National Institute of Petroleum Energy as Centre for Excellence in the real sense of the term and not make it as an achievement of the government of the day (that it has gifted an institute to the state and forget patronising and monetary aid).

Sir, I am representing Bengal. Would the Hon Minister consider setting up an Institute of National Importance to cater to the emerging and challenging needs in the domain of petroleum energy in Bengal?

Lastly I request the Hon Minister to withdraw the decision taken by the Ministry to stop the subsidy for LPG.

Thank you very much.

Manish Gupta asks a Question about sanctioned work-charged posts in Railways

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, the issue of work-charged staff in the Railways is very old and will continue for many years. We have this issue in other departments of the Government too; work-charged staff is a serious issue.

Now, I would like to ask the Minister, through you Mr Chairman, whether the Railways is deploying any other policy to control this malaise. Is something like benchmarking of manpower productivity ratio being continuously done because it is a useful tool to control the dynamics of work-charged staff?

 

 

Mamata Bala Thakur asks a Question on Swadhar Greh Scheme

FULL TRANSCRIPT

How many educational benefits have children been given and what is the policy that has been adopted to make children more educated to help save them from child labour? How many congeries have been organised?

The national women’s helpline number, 18181, does not work/function properly. The Various States have their own helpline numbers, most of which do not function properly as well. It is due to this, that rural women are facing a lot of trouble and confusion.

My question is that whether this Government has taken any practical, concerted efforts via helplines to assist women and what are the various schemes available and for how long will one helpline number be applicable?

Thank you.

 

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy speaks on the renaming of Mughalsarai railway station

FULL TRANSCRIPT

The Central Government is renaming the railway station in the same way some of the Central Ministers are using the photographs of their party leaders in the official stationery, belittling the National Symbol, the Ashoka symbol. They are denigrating the National Symbol. Sir, this is not an isolated incident.
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Ahamed Hassan makes a Zero Hour mention on the need for modernisation in Kolkata Base of ATR Aircraft

FULL TRANSCRIPT 

Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India, is the only scheduled airline with its engineering base in Kolkata.It inducted four ATR42 aircraft to bolster connectivity in various north-eastern States. The Kolkata base developed infrastructure and trained personnel to contribute to the aviation sector. However, only one old ATR42 operates from Kolkata to a few north-eastern locations like Shillong, Guwahati and Lilabari.

Alliance Air’s decision to replace its fleet with a new aircraft series ATR72-600 has brought untold misery on the personnel and on the north-eastern region. The aircraft has been inducted only in Delhi and Hyderabad. Not a single new aircraft has been positioned in Kolkata. In 2016, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport also discussed the induction of ATR72 aircraft in Kolkata.

Personnel in Kolkata cannot afford to shift to another base, leaving behind their families. The workload has drastically reduced due to the non-availability of ATR72. The shifting of the base from Kolkata has adversely affected aviation activities in West Bengal and in the North-East.

The question arises as to why have the north-eastern region and Kolkata been ignored from the process of modernisation in aviation? The old ATR42 have been in operation for over 22 years. This poses a major security issue for aircraft passengers. We request the Government to modernise the Kolkata base and introduce a fleet of ATR72. This is essential to save the livelihoods of personnel and give a much needed push to the development of the North East.

 

Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien speaks regarding the adverse effects of interest rate cut by SBI

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, I am glad that the Finance Minister and Leader of the House is here; maybe he will give us an explanation.

The SBI reduced rates on savings in bank accounts, holding a balance of less than Rs 1 crore, by 0.5%. Sir, more than 90% of bank accounts in India are people who have less than Rs 1 crore. Sir, SBI, in their explanation, have said, that after demonetisation there was a huge inflow of funds; about 50,000 bank accounts were being opened every day, and about Rs 1.5 lakh crore was moved into the system. But there were no borrowers in the system because after demonetisation economic activity was low. This is the SBI’s view.

Sir, what impact has this had? Sir, the first impact, the obvious impact, is that small depositors, especially senior citizens, pensioners are all affected. When they are affected, what would they do as alternative? This is a sure fire way of opening up and encouraging chit funds. Everyone talks about chit funds but no one talks about Pearl Chit Fund.

Let us have an investigation on how many people were investigated in Pearl Chit Fund and which Government and which people were involved. What action was happening outside North Block in Delhi and in Punjab? It is very convenient to talk about Odisha and Bengal when it comes to chit funds. Sir, through you I want to caution the Government that this decision will also increase the infiltration of chit funds.

And worse still, the commercial banks also going to be affected. Sir, the rate for the fixed deposits in early 2014 was 10%. I was talking to some senior relatives of mine, they were getting 10%, 9% till a few years ago. Now that is down to less than 6%.

Sir, post demonetisation, 1.5 million jobs have been lost. Sir, now even the NITI Ayog Vice Chairman has suddenly resigned; we wish him luck in his new assignment. No matter what the Government tries to say, he has resigned after three years. Sir, these are the big issues post GST and demonetisation.

The Opposition parties have been trying to discuss these issues. NPAs worth Rs 7 lakh crore have still not been recovered and you are hurting the poor people. Sir, we need a discussion on this; the Government is running away from a discussion. For three weeks we have given notices, Sir, please look into this, take this up and let us discuss it.

 

 

Mumtaz Sanghamita asks a Question on the desilting of Damodar River

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you, Speaker Madam. In the last meeting of our Standing Committee, the CWC visited the Durgapur barrage in October, 2016. They suggested and recommended that there should be immediate desiltation and as well as cleaning of the Damodar river near the barrage area.

In 2013, Bengal Government held discussions with the central agency of Central Water and Power Research Centre and decided to have a Damodar Action Plan. I would like to ask the Hon Minister, whether she is making a plan for the Damodar Action Plan and the desilting of the river so that the Damodar barrage can work.

 

Bengal CM releases trilingual dictionary for Santhali language

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday released a trilingual Santhali dictionary (Santhali-English-Bengali). This dictionary is a first-of-its-kind. There was a demand by the Santhal community for preparing a proper trilingual dictionary for the preservation, protection and development of the language in the State.

The trilingual dictionary in Ol Chiki script has been composed by the Paschimbanga Santhali Academy under the guidance and supervision of the experts of academy. The combination of the three languages — Santhali (in Ol Chiki script), English and Bengali — along with the usage of Santhali words has given a new dimension to the dictionary. The Tribal Development Department of the State provided all infrastructural support and guidance to the Santhali Academy in this endeavour.

This is a comprehensive dictionary with 24,550 Santhali words, along with other useful information written in the Ol Chiki script of Santhali like the Santhali alphabet, numerals from 1-100, measurement of mass, length and volume as used in Santhali, names of the months of the year and days of the week, colours,  scientific (physics, chemistry, mathematics, geography, history, etc.) terminologies (both in Santhali and English), Santhali idioms along with their uses and familial relations in Santhali society.

The Chief Minister also held a high-level meeting of the Tribal Advisory Council. It may be mentioned that after coming to power, Mamata Banerjee has given special stress on the development of tribal communities.

 

 

আদিবাসীদের উন্নয়নে একগুচ্ছ প্রকল্প রাজ্য সরকারের

গতকাল উত্তরকন্যায় তপসিলি জাতি ও উপজাতি উপদেষ্টা পরিষদের সদস্যদের সঙ্গে বৈঠক করেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। এই বৈঠকে আদিবাসীদের উন্নয়ন সহ বিভিন্ন বিষয় নিয়ে আলোচনা হয়েছে।

এদিন অল চিকি অভিধানের প্রকাশ করেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী। তিনটি ভাষায় এটি লেখা হয়েছে। অলচিকি শব্দমালায় সাঁওতালি ভাষার পাশাপাশি বাংলা ও ইংরেজিতেও অনুবাদ রয়েছে। মুখ্যমন্ত্রী বলেন, “এটি আদিবাসী ভাই বোনেদের উদ্দেশ্যে করা হয়েছে। এর ফলে তাদের ঘরে শিক্ষার আলো পৌঁছবে। এটি সাঁওতাল ভাষার দিশারি হবে”।

এদিন পাহাড় ও ডুয়ার্সের বন্ধ চা বাগানগুলি নিয়েও উদ্বেগ প্রকাশ করেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী। তিনি জানান, চা বাগানের জমির পাট্টা দেওয়ার প্রক্রিয়া চলছে। ইতিমধ্যেই ৩০০ পাট্টা দেওয়া হয়ে গেছে।

রাজ্যের সব তফসিলি জাতি ও উপজাতি এবং অন্যান্য অনগ্রসর শ্রেণির (ওবিসি) উন্নয়ন পরিকল্পনাকে এক ছাতার তলায় আনতে নতুন উপদেষ্টা পরিষদ গড়তে তোলার সিদ্ধান্তও নেওয়া হয়েছে এদিনের বৈঠকে।