Will never allow the country to be divided: Mamata Banerjee

Will never allow the country to be divided: Mamata Banerjee

Posted on March 28, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Trinamool Chairperson and Bangla Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today attended ‘Holi Milan’ celebration at Gitanjali Stadium, Kolkata. In her speech, she stressed on communal harmony harmony and vowed never to allow country to be divided.

Highlights of her speech:

People from all regions participate in all festivals in Bangla

Like the Holi Milan today, I also participate in Dandiya celebrations during Navratri, and also attend the festivals organised by the Jain and Buddhist community

In Bangla, we give holidays on the occasion of all religious festivals. This is because we respect all religions. We believe that all festivals are for everyone to celebrate

Never in my life have I treated people differently on the basis of religion

People from other States who live here are better off here than there native States because of the atmosphere of tolerance

We have never disallowed any festival in Bangla, be it Chhat Puja, Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Ganapati Puja, Mahavir Jayanti, Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary celebrations or any other festival

People from the BJP come from outside come here and spread falsehoods

Hinduism is a great religion, whose tenets were defined by people like Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna and others

At the Gangasagar Mela we make the best arrangements – in fact, people now say, “Har sagar ek bar, Gangasagar bar bar”

We have developed Gangasagar. Several amenities are available there now

Go visit places like Tarapith, Tarakeswar or Furfura Sharif or holy places of Christianity – peace reigns everywhere

The BJP just chants the name of Ram but don’t believe in him

We have respect for everybody – be it Ram or Rahim or Christianity

The BJP alleges that Mamata Banerjee does not allow pujas in Bangla. I challenge them to ask the people who live here. Every festival is celebrated in Bangla

People of different religious communities live together in Bangla like one big family

We will never let the country to be fragmented

We must have love and respect for everybody. We must live together

We never supported demonetisation – I had called it a disaster on the very first day

Industry, labourers, farmers, youth – everyone suffered due to demonetisation

People lost their hard-earned savings because of demonetisation. It was a huge tragedy

More than 2 crore people became unemployed due to demonetisation in one year – 2017-18. Whereas in Bangla, employment increased by 40%

We never make false promises. We always keep our word.

The prime minister believes in jumla. When he recently announced that he will address the nation, everyone was tense; what new disaster awaited us? Ultimately, it was a case of ‘empty vessel sounds much’.

The A-SAT missile is the result of the hard work of our scientists

Look at the BJP, every leader is becoming a chowkidar. We respect the real chowkidars

Religions stands for humanity. As long as I am alive, I will not allow Bangla to be divided. And the same goes for the country

Khaki uniform must not be misused: Mamata Banerjee

Posted on March 27, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Trinamool Chairperson Mamata Banerjee took exception to appointment of former BSF director general KK Sharma as special police observer for Bangla and Jharkhand during the Lok Sabha elections.

“How can a retired police officer look after the deployment of serving police personnel? During his tenure as the DG, he has attended an RSS program and that too in uniform,” she said.

“Is he an impartial observer? Is this a way to ensure we will get justice? Is this democracy? I respect the Khakhi uniform. It must not be misused. It must only be used for the nation’s interest,” she added.

She also said, “I have evidence that my mobile is being tapped. My calls and messages are being monitored. All Opposition leaders are under scanner, including people at high positions in various institutions.”

Bengal takes the leap in the holistic development of its industrial sector

Posted on March 26, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Since coming to power, the Trinamool Congress Government, inspired Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has laid great emphasis on the development of the industrial sector in the State.

Some of the major initiatives taken by the government to promote Bangla as an investment destination are:

Industrial parks

14 industrial parks set up and operations begun
10 industrial parks upgraded to international standards
Establishment of 23 industrial parks undertaken
In Howrah district, India’s largest hosiery park, and a foundry park and a state-of-the art gems and jewellery park set up
Asia’s largest leather complex in Bantala has welcomed industrialists from Kanpur and Chennai. This will lead to the generation of over 5 lakh jobs
2,500-acre industrial centre being set up at Raghunathpur in Purulia district

Industrial Infrastructure:

Two ports being set up – Tajpur Sea Port and Kulpi River Port, both in Purba Medinipur
India’s first greenfield airport operating in Andal

Multinational and private investments

Haldia Petrochemicals revived with the help of State Government; as a result, revival of 2,500 downstream industries have led to the creation of 5 lakh jobs
JSW Group investing Rs 10,000 crore, being used for constructing cement plant in Salboni on 1,500 acres, thus creating employment for 15,000 people
Investment by renowned companies like Flipkart, Coca-Cola, Genpact, Cognizant, IBM, Reliance, Pepsi, Amul India, Mitsubishi, ITC, BASF (Germany) and many more

Gains from business summits

Bengal Global Business Summit

The five Bengal Global Business Summits (BGBS) received investments from many national and international industrialists

50 per cent of the above investment proposals already being implemented

Hill Business Summit

Bangla’s first Hill Business Summit organised successfully in March 2018. It generated investment proposals worth almost Rs 1,500 crore for the Hills and north Bengal.

Bengal’s exports

‘Banglar Raftani’ mobile app launched to promote Bengal’s exports
State’s export earnings increased from USD 7.1 billion (2011) to USD 9.16 billion (2018)

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Bangla committed to the welfare of backward classes and tribal development

Posted on March 24, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The State Government’s policies and programmes for the welfare and development of backward classes and tribal communities have been successfully transforming people across Bangla.

Some of the main achievements:

Separate Tribal Development Department was created in 2013 by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

Department’s budget has increased by more than five times – from Rs 360 crore for financial year (FY) 2010-11 to Rs 1,878 crore for FY 2020.

Special recruitment drives undertaken for filling up vacant reserved posts – 2,669 posts for Adivasis and 10,241 posts for scheduled castes

Getting caste certificates is much easier now – through online application

Number of caste certificates being given has increased substantially – 9 lakh on an average every year

Almost 1 crore caste certificates can be viewed on the internet now

12 lakh schedule castes (SC), 1.5 lakh scheduled tribes (ST) and 7 lakh other backward caste (OBC) students at the secondary and higher secondary levels getting stipends

On an average, 10.5 lakh SC students and 2.25 lakh ST students getting scholarships under Shikshashree

Bicycles have been provided to 1 crore students (of all categories) from classes IX to XII under Sabooj Sathi Scheme

Sabooj Sathi has also been named a Champion Project at the WSIS Prizes 2019 given by the ITU, an organisation under the United Nations (award to be given on April 9)

Best performance in the country in providing skill development courses – 28,000 SC and Adivasi women trained in beautician course and another 1 lakh in plastic utensils making, stitching and other courses

Student loan for professional and vocational courses for SC and ST students – a maximum of Rs 10 lakh for studying within the country and a maximum of Rs 20 lakh for studying outside the country; this has been recognised as a model scheme by the Centre

Special training at 36 centres across the State for SC and ST students for getting admitted to government medical colleges, IITs and other recognised institutions

Assistance for self-help groups (SHG) run by women belonging to SC and ST communities has resulting in self-employment opportunities for 75,000 women on an average every year

35,000 kendu leaf collectors covered under the West Bengal Kendu Leaves Collectors’ Social Security Scheme, a part of the 2015 Samajik Suraksha Scheme; these people are also covered by the Swasthya Sathi Scheme

Under the Forest rights Act, 2006, 46,500 ST people distributed personal patta deeds and 323 community pattas for ‘Jaher Than’ distributed

Special law promulgated to prevent transfer of tribal land

20 development and culture boards formed for 20 communities

Kurukh, Kamtapuri and Rajbanshi recognised as State languages

Special recognition for Santhali language: Made an elective language for WBCS examination; school textbooks brought out in ol-Chiki; trilingual dictionary (Santhali-English-Bengali) published

To give recognition to Adivasi people and their cultures, Jangalmahal Utsav started, and special days like Adivasi Divas, Karm Divas and Hul Divas being celebrated every year

India’s first State Assembly-mandated Scheduled Caste Advisory Council formed

Under the chairpersonship of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Tribal Advisory Council and Scheduled Caste Advisory Council regularly undertaking development programmes

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Bangla’s economy surging ahead

Posted on March 22, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Thanks to the tremendous efforts put in by the Trinamool Congress Government, Bangla has become one of the best-performing States with respect to economy.

Primary achievements of the State:

Gross state domestic product (GSDP): From Rs 4.74 crore in May 2011 to Rs 11.55 crore in FY 2019 (as per advanced estimates (AE))

GSDP growth: In terms of GSDP growth (AE), Bangla is no. 1

Industrial Growth: In FY 2018, State’s industrial growth was almost three times that of India’s – 16.29% (AE) against 5.54%

Revenue deposit: Revenue deposit as percentage of GSDP down from 3.75 in FY 2011 to 0.96 in FY 2018

Fiscal deposit: Fiscal deposit as percentage of GSDP down from 4.24 in FY 2011 to 2.83 in FY 2018

Tax revenue: More than 2.5 times increase, from Rs 21,128 crore in FY 2011 to Rs 57,700 crore in FY 2018

From 2011, state plan expenditure of Rs 3.45 lakh crore and capital expenditure of Rs 92,000 crore spent on creating infrastructural assets and social assets

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Bengal takes the lead in employment generation

Posted on March 22, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Over the last few years, Bangla has witnessed phenomenal growth under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee.

Here are the areas where Bangla has achieved immense success in terms of employment generation

1. Unemployment has reduced by 40%

2. Bengal ranks first in 100 Days’ Work with respect to man-day generation, where over 191 crore man-days have been generated

3. Significant increase in employment opportunities in all sectors where almost 1 crore people have become employed in 7.5 years

4. Under Utkarsha Bangla Scheme, almost 6 lakh youths receive skill training every year. The majority have also secured a job in their own profession

5. Yuvashree Scheme: Almost 1.70 lakh youths have received assistance under the Yuvashree Scheme
Under the Yuvashree 2 Arpan Scheme, 50,000 youths will be given financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh every year to start their own businesses

6. 528 Karmatirthas set up to create more employment opportunities

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State Govt promoting herbal colours for a safe Dol Jatra

Posted on March 20, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The State Food Processing and Horticulture Department is promoting the use and sale of herbal colours for Dol Jatra celebrations.

The herbal aabir, as the colours used in the festivities are called, are manufactured by a self-help group (SHG) and are being sold at Mayukh Bhavan in Salt Lake, which houses the Horticulture Department.

The counter will remain open till today (March 20). The price of the herbal colours has been fixed at Rs 30 per 100 grams.

The members of the SHG responsible for manufacturing the herbal colours have received training from Jadavpur University. The colours are extracted from flowers and mixed with talcum powder and arrowroot to manufacture the finished product, said the head of the SHG.

There are five varieties of aabir – green, orange, pink, yellow and violet, extracted from rose, marigold, palash, aparajita and balsam, respectively.

This is a fight between communal Modi and Bengal’s Agnikanya: Abhishek Banerjee

Posted on March 18, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

National President of Trinamool Youth Congress and MP Abhishek Banerjee today addressed an organisational meeting in Bankura.

Highlights of Abhishek Banerjee’s speech:

Subrata Mukherjee is a veteran politician and an able administrator

My humble pranam to the women present here today. Those who have the support of women, can never be defeated

This election is a fight between communal Modi and Bengal’s Agnikanya Mamata Banerjee. We have to fight unitedly

Block leaders should manage the blocks. Those who are district-level leaders, have to manage the district. Those in-charge of the booths must carry out their responsibility.

Those who perform well, will be rewarded and given charge of the organisation in the future.

Those who promised Achhe Din five years ago, have not spent a penny for the development of Bankura

Water supply projects worth Rs 1100 crore have started in Bankura. This was possible because of Mamata Banerjee

Roads have been developed. Multi super speciality hospitals, SNSUs have been set up

People receive uninterrupted supply of electricity in the villages

UN has recognised Kanyashree scheme as the best in the world. Utkarsh Bangla has also received international recognition

The talent that this land has, is unmatched in rest of the world

We have never seen Modi selling tea, but we have seen Mamata Banerjee lead a simple life even after becoming CM

BJP is trying to destabilise Bengal by fomenting communal tension

From hike in fuel prices or the rollback of subsidies on cooking gas, we have always hit the streets to protest

BJP thought they can intimidate Trinamool by using agencies like CBI and ED. Trinamool will never allow the pride of Bengal to be sullied

Mamata Banerjee has called for a united India. She has given a clarion call for the formation of a progressive, democratic, secular government

Bengal will show the way to India in the future

Modi is doing now, what Mamata Banerjee has already successfully implemented

Budget of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao is Rs 100 crore for the entire country, while the budget of Kanyashree is Rs 5000 crore in Bengal alone

He has no funds for women’s safety, 100 days’ work and other schemes for the welfare of people. He only spends money on foreign travel, statues and PR

Those who used to carry red flags while torturing people in the past, now don the saffron robe

After the BJP lost power in three states, prices of fuel, cooking gas and GST on items decreased

People of Bankura will give a fitting reply to the BJP

BJP only engages in politics of religion. They have no developmental agenda

BJP survives on religion, riots and fake nationalism

BJP’s end is near. The arrogance and audacity of the PM will be defeated soon

Remember, you are not voting for Subrata Mukherjee or Shyamal Santra. Your vote is for Mamata Banerjee

We will not concede any space to the BJP. We will fight to save the culture of Bengal

School education infrastructure receives a boost in Bangla

Posted on March 16, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The school education infrastructure in Bangla has undergone unprecedented development over the last seven-and-a-half years due to the untiring efforts of the Trinamool Congress-led State Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The government’s initiatives have helped Bangla achieve its goals in the education sector.

Instances of Bangla’s success in the education sector:

Ninefold increase in expenditure on education, from Rs 829 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 7,500 crore in 2018-19

Rs 200 crore spent on constructing dining halls in about 5,000 schools in 2018-19

7000 primary and upper primary schools established

2,700 schools upgraded

Over 2 lakh additional classrooms constructed

4,500 schools got laboratories

4,000 schools got libraries

Rs 130 crore grant for furniture across schools

65 English-medium schools started in 2019

Majority of the expenditure for mid-day meal kitchens, LPG connections and fire extinguishers in schools borne by State Government

259 Santhali-medium primary schools functioning in 10 districts and 49 Santali-medium high schools functioning in 8 districts

About 10,000 schools conduct advanced courses in modern technology

School Education Department honoured with CSI Nihilent e-Governance (CNeG) Award (December 2018)

Rs 341 crore grant for infrastructural renovation of 1,037 higher secondary and 251 secondary schools

Special focus on laboratories, libraries and extra classrooms for all government-run schools

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Scared BJP trying to control the media: Mamata Banerjee

Posted on March 13, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Trinamool Chairperson Mamata Banerjee today met the party’s Lok Sabha candidates at her Kalighat residence. She addressed the press after the meeting.

Here are some highlights of the press meet:

Reaction to BJP’s demand of declaring every booth in Bengal as super sensitive

I am really astonished. What is the reason for such a demand? This is an insult to the people of Bengal. Why are they so afraid? Why are they scared?

I have seen statements of BJP about law and order situation in Kerala. But there elections are being held in single phase.

During the panchayat elections in Tripura, 98% seats were uncontested. Now they have become saints? They are saying absolute lies, blatant lies, about Bengal.

99% of those who were killed during panchayat elections in Bengal were Trinamool workers. BJP is killing our workers.

Bengal is a peaceful state. All festivals are held peacefully here.

They are targeting Bengal because we are raising our voice against Modi and Amit Shah.

More than 40 lakh people came to Gangasagar for the mela. Not a single untoward incident took place. Durga Puja was held peacefully.

Even during the bypolls held last year, conducted by CEC, we won by 50,000 votes.

There must be a limit for everything. BJP wants CISF and CRPF to guard their leaders, not the country.

They want the media to be controlled also. This is a matter of shame, shame, SHAME.

They have lost their credibility. They want to control Trinamool, the forces, and even do not want collectors to work.

Does the BJP think there is President’s Rule in Bengal? We believe in federal structure. What audacity they have.

We must ask, is there any democracy in the country? Where is the freedom of press? They started persecuting N. Ram because he exposed the Rafale case. Now they want to control Bengal media.

Bengal is an intellectual land. This is the land of culture, unity. People of all castes, creed, communities live here in harmony.

We respect the Election Commission. They have to take care of the demands of all the political parties, not just BJP.

What is happening in Uttar Pradesh? How many people have been lynched in the name of gau-raksha? Mother of thieves shouts the loudest.

BJP wants to control me? They are so afraid of me?

They want to control the media. Next, they will ask the EC to ensure all votes go to BJP. They have become a laughing stock. Their expiry date is over.

I want to advise the BJP – go home and take rest. Media cannot be controlled by anybody.

They want to destroy the Constitution. Dalits, tribals, minorities, women and even Hindus have been persecuted.

In the name of NRC, names of 22 lakh Hindus have been removed. What is the motive behind Citizenship Bill?

I condemn the attitude of BJP leaders. Some vagabond leaders of the BJP are using money power, scaring the agencies.

I feel the press fraternity must rise against the BJP’s attempt to control the media.

Reaction to fake news on social media

Fake news is created and spread by the BJP. They are spending crores for running fake propaganda on social media.

The Election Commission must seriously look into the expenditure of the BJP.

BJP should not misuse their power.

BJP is using photos of the prime minister and the armed forces in political hoardings. We have complained against them.

Reaction to BJP’s charge of some police officers in Bengal being close to the administration

I respect all police officers, whether they belong to the State or the Centre.

I want to ask Ravi babu, Asthana owes his allegiance to whom?

There is undeclared super-emergency in the country.

Comments on Trinamool’s candidates for Lok Sabha election

41% candidates of Trinamool are women. We have not given them a ticket for the sake of it. All of them will win. We are confident.

Trinamool’s ideology is we are of the people, for the people, by the people.

We will work for the people. We will serve the people. We have to protect the Constitution. We have to restore the freedom of institutions. We have to maintain peace and harmony

Comments regarding non-payment of salaries to BSNL employees

BSNL employees are not getting their salaries. Many industries have closed down, and employees are not getting benefits. I have written a strong letter to the Prime Minister.

Comments on mahagathbandhan

We want United India. Our aim should be to defeat the BJP and remove Modi as the PM. We want a democratic government to be formed at the Centre.

For five years, the Prime Minister has not addressed a single press conference. The PM must answer what he thinks of this demand to control the media. He must answer.

Message to media

Don’t bow down your head. I am giving you my support. Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high… Be fearless. BJP has become very scared.