Tag: কেন্দ্র

No central funds for Ghatal Master Plan, Bengal Govt livid

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on No central funds for Ghatal Master Plan, Bengal Govt livid

After coming to power, Mamata Banerjee had instructed the Irrigation Department to draw up a plan to provide relief to the people of Ghatal from recurrent floods every year. This ‘master plan’ was drawn up by the department and sent to the Centre for clearance in 2014. Although the Centre has finally given its nod to Ghatal Master Plan, but they have not allocated any fund for the Rs 1238 crore project.

The Chief Secretary of the Union Minister of Water Resources communicated the same to state government officials last week. The Bengal Government is livid as the Centre has refused to bear the cost of the project. The officials have decided to write to the Centre seeking funds for Ghatal Master Plan.

As per the officials, this is yet another example of the neglect shown by Centre towards the State. In the past, for irrigation projects, the Centre and State used to share the cost at a ratio of 75-25. After Narendra Modi led government came to power, the share of Centre was reduced to 50 per cent. But in case of Ghatal Master Plan, the Centre has not even allocated funds for its share of 50 per cent.

What is Ghatal Master Plan?

As per the irrigation department officials, during monsoon, areas of Ghatal get inundated by the waters of Shilabati river. This causes a lot of trouble to the people of the region. Even areas like Chetua, Daspur 1 and 2 blocks are affected. The master plan was drawn up to provide relief to the people. The plan includes construction of a 6 meter dam over Shilabati river and installation of a pump (with 5000 cusec capacity) in Ghatal. This apart, desiltation work will be carried out at Old Kosi, New Kosi, Durgachoti and other rivers to increase navigability. Repair work would be carried out for several canals.

By not allotting funds for Ghatal Master Plan, the Centre has yet again dealt a several blow to the federal structure of the country.

Bengal CM writes to Centre against plan to shift HSL headquarters

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Bengal CM writes to Centre against plan to shift HSL headquarters

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written a strong letter to the Union Ministry of Steel against the Central Government’s decision to shift the headquarters of Hindustan Steelworks Limited, a profitable PSU, from Kolkata to New Delhi.

Not just that, there are also plan to lay off a large number of workers, including many permanent ones. Naturally, they are very worried and the people’s Chief Minister has not held back at expressing her deep discontent at this decision.

The issue was earlier raised by Trinamool Congress in the Lok Sabha too but no satisfactory answer came from the Central Government. The Labour Commissioner had also hauled up the management of the company for the decision of laying off workers, but the management has not responded.

Not just writing a letter, the Chief Minister has instructed her party’s MPs to again raise the issue in Parliament.

Across Bengal, estimated loss due to floods across stands at Rs 14,000 Cr: Mamata Banerjee

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Across Bengal, estimated loss due to floods across stands at Rs 14,000 Cr: Mamata Banerjee

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that the estimated loss due to the recent flood in 11 districts in Bengal stands at Rs 14,000 crore. The State Government has sent a report to that effect to the Centre, containing the estimated loss across the state.

According to an official at the state secretariat, Nabanna, over the last four years, the state has spent Rs 1,500 crore to give compensation and to fight the situation after any natural calamity. Unfortunately, despite the state administration writing to the Central Government several times, the Centre has not released any grant to support the State Government during times of such need.

With respect to the recent flood, the official said that while compensation packages were being announced for other states, not even a representative was sent to Bengal by the Centre to take stock of the situation.

However, the State Government had responded without any delay; it started providing all necessary support to the flood-affected farmers. The Chief Minister herself went to the heavily inundated areas across the state and took stock of the situation.

The official said that seeds worth around Rs 10 crore have already been distributed. Sowing of seeds in most of the flood-affected areas in south Bengal is complete and it is going on in North Bengal in full swing.

The official assured that despite the flood, there is nothing to panic with regard to the production of food crops. The target of rice cultivation of around 161 lakh tonne is most likely to be reached.

It may be mentioned that the flood in both north and south Bengal took place due to heavy rainfall from August 12 to 15 and from July 21 to 26. According to government sources, the flood in 11 districts had affected agriculture on around 10.67 lakh acres. Around three lakh houses were completely damaged, around 55,000 were heavily damaged and more than 52,000 were partly affected.

Source: Millennium Post

বন্যায় ক্ষতি ১৪ হাজার কোটি, কেন্দ্রকে চিঠি পাঠাল রাজ্য

রাজ্যে সাম্প্রতিক বন্যায় ১৪ হাজার কোটি টাকার ক্ষয়ক্ষতি হয়েছে। এই মর্মে রাজ্যের পক্ষ থেকে ইতিমধ্যে কেন্দ্রকে চিঠি পাঠানো হয়েছে। বুধবার নবান্নে সাংবাদিকদের মুখোমুখি হয়ে এ’কথা জানিয়েছেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়।

উল্লেখ্য, চলতি বছরে প্রথমে দক্ষিণবঙ্গ এবং তারপরে উত্তরবঙ্গ ভয়াবহ বন্যার কবলে পড়ে। কৃষিক্ষেত্র ছাড়াও রাস্তা-ঘাট, ব্যক্তিগত সম্পত্তি সবই প্রচুর পরিমাণে ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত হয়েছে। বিশেষ করে কৃষিক্ষেত্রে ব্যাপক ক্ষতি হয়। সরকারের পক্ষ থেকে জানানো হয়েছে, ১৪ হাজার কোটি টাকার সম্পত্তির ক্ষতি হয়। যার মধ্যে কৃষিক্ষেত্রেই প্রায় সাত হাজার কোটি টাকার ক্ষতি হয়েছে।

গত ৪ বছরে রাজ্যের প্রাকৃতিক বিপর্যয়ে ক্ষতিপূরণ বাবদ প্রায় দেড় হাজার কোটি টাকা দিয়েছে রাজ্য সরকার।

প্রসঙ্গত, চলতি বছরে বন্যার কবলে পশ্চিমবঙ্গ ছাড়াও গুজরাত, অসম, বিহার পড়েছে। সেক্ষেত্রে কেন্দ্র ইতিমধ্যে গুজরাতকে ও বিহারকে ৫০০ কোটি টাকা এবং অসমকে দু’হাজার কোটি টাকা ক্ষতিপূরণ দিয়েছে। এবার পশ্চিমবঙ্গও বন্যার ক্ষতিপূরণ চেয়ে কেন্দ্রকে চিঠি পাঠাল

 

Source: Bartaman, Aajkal