Bengal CM targets Centre over the development of tea gardens

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday made a scathing attack on the Centre for not taking up the issue of the tea gardens. She was speaking at the administrative review meeting of three districts — Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri — at Uttarkanya on Wednesday afternoon.

“What have they done to the tea gardens? Central ministers had assured before the election that seven tea gardens would be taken over. They won the polls but did not keep their word. We always keep our promises. We spent Rs 40,000 crore to repay loans. But despite financial constraint, we have taken up so many projects and successfully implemented them,” she said.

Mamata Banerjee asked the officials to take measures to end drinking water scarcity at the tea gardens. “We have always stood beside the tea garden workers and will continue to do so in future,” she maintained.

Two state ministers, Subrata Mukherjee (Panchayat and Rural Development) and Aroop Biswas (PWD and Youth Services and Sports) along with Chief Secretary and two additional Chief Secretaries along with a host of principal secretaries were present at the meeting. The Director General of Police and senior officials of these three districts and MLAs, Sabhadhipatis and Panchayat pradhans also attended the meeting.

চা বাগানের উন্নয়ন নিয়ে কেন্দ্রকে তোপ মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর

গতকাল উত্তরকন্যায় তিনটি জেলার – আলিপুরদুয়ার, জলপাইগুড়ি ও কুচবিহার – আধিকারিকদের নিয়ে একটি প্রশাসনিক বৈঠক করেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। এই বৈঠকে চা বাগানের উন্নয়ন নিয়ে কেন্দ্রকে আক্রমণ করেন তিনি।

মুখ্যমন্ত্রী বলেন, চা বাগানগুলির জন্য কি করেছে কেন্দ্র? নির্বাচনের আগে কেন্দ্রীয় মন্ত্রীরা বলেছিলেন সাতটি চা বাগান তারা অধিগ্রহণ করবেন। সেই প্রতিশ্রুতি তারা পূরণ করেননি। আমরা কথা দিয়ে কথা রাখি। বাম সরকারের ঋণ শোধ করতে আমাদের ৪০০০০ কোটি টাকা কেটে নিয়ে গেছে। কিন্তু আমরা কোনও প্রকল্প বন্ধ করিনি, উন্নয়নের কাজও বন্ধ হয়নি।

তিনি আধিকারিকদের নির্দেশ দেন চা বাগানে পানীয় জলের সমস্যা মেটানোর জন্য। “আমরা চা বাগানের কর্মীদের পাশে ছিলাম, এবং তাদের উন্নয়নের জন্য ভবিষ্যতেও কাজ করব,” বলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী।

এদিনকার বৈঠকে উপস্থিত ছিলেন পঞ্চায়েত ও গ্রামোন্নয়ন মন্ত্রী সুব্রত মুখোপাধ্যায়, যুবকল্যাণ ও ক্রীড়া মন্ত্রী অরূপ বিশ্বাস, মুখ্যসচিব, বিভিন্ন দপ্তরের আধিকারিকরা, রাজ্যের ডিজি, তিন জেলার বিধায়ক, পঞ্চায়েত প্রধান, সভাধিপতি প্রমুখ।

Mamata Banerjee releases Jago Bangla Festive Edition

Trinamool Chairperson Mamata Banerjee launched the Festive Edition (‘Pujabarshiki’) of Jago Bangla today at a colourful ceremony at Nazrul Mancha.

Like every year, the cover of the Festive Edition has been designed by Mamata Banerjee.

This year’s edition has articles by party functionaries, intellectuals and veteran columnists.

The Trinamool Chairperson has penned her thoughts on the recently concluded Assembly elections which Trinamool won with a landslide margin, negating all the smear campaigns and conspiracies.

The salient points from her speech at the launch function:

  • Today is Mahalaya. My festive greetings to all.
  • My heartfelt gratitude to all those who contribute articles to Jago Bangla.
  • The Jago Bangla 2016 Festive Edition is no less than the Sharadiya Editions of other newspapers.
  • We are lucky today to have Dwijen Da and Sandhya Di here today who have been associated with the Mahalaya radio programme.
  • There is no substitute for the Chandi Path and songs on Mahalaya.

 

জাগো বাংলার উ९সব সংখ্যা প্রকাশ করলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী

আজ নজরুল মঞ্চে জাগো বাংলার উ९সব সংস্করণের প্রকাশ করলেন মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়।

প্রতি বছরের মত, উ९সব সংস্করণের প্রচ্ছদটি তিনি নিজেই ডিজাইন করেছেন।

প্রত্যেকবারের মতই এবছরও উৎসব সংখ্যায় দলের নেতারা ছাড়াও লেখা দিয়েছেন বিশিষ্টজনেরা।

এই বছরের সংস্করণে, সমস্ত কুৎসা ও অপপ্রচারকে নস্যাৎ করে বিধানসভা নির্বাচনে তৃণমূলের বিপুল জয় নিয়ে কলম ধরেছেন মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়।

তাঁর বক্তব্যের কিছু অংশঃ 

  • আজ মহালয়া। সকলকে আমার শুভেচ্ছা ও অভিনন্দনঃ
  • যারা জাগো বাংলার জন্য নিয়মিত লেখেন তাদের সকলকে আমার আন্তরিক অভিনন্দন
  • জাগো বাংলার উ९সব সংখ্যা শারদীয়া সংখ্যা বা অন্যান্য পত্রিকার থেকে কোন অংশে কম নয়
  • দ্বিজেনদা, সন্ধ্যাদি যারা মহালয়ার রেডিওর অনুষ্ঠানের সঙ্গে যুক্ত ছিলেন তাদের আজ এই মঞ্চে কে পেয়ে আমরা খুব আনন্দিত
  • মহালয়ার গান, চণ্ডীপাঠের কোন বিকল্প হয় না

 

 

 

 

Kolkata International Children’s Film Festival begins

The Kolkata International Children’s Film Festival (KICFF), to be held from 22 December to 29 December, in which 21 countries will participate and around 180 films will be screened. The inaugural ceremony will be held today at Nandan I.

This is the fifth year that the festival is being organised. To imbue the young film lovers with the spirit of movie making, as a special attraction an exhibition is being organised in the prime venue at Nandan. The exhibition will trace the evolution of the movie camera. In the inaugural ceremony, ministers Amit Mitra, Aroop Biswas and Shashi Panja are expected to be present.

The child artistes of Marathi film Killa are also expected to come for the inaugural ceremony along with the director, Avinash Arun. Killa, which revolves around an 11-year-old child undergoing a difficult time coping with the death of his father, has been chosen as the inaugural film for this year’s festival.

This year, the festival will pay homage to two of the most versatile geniuses in the film world, Robin Williams and Buster Keaton. To make the festival more engaging the organisers have thrown in workshops and a competitive quiz.

Another exhibition titled Dakche Dekho Daktickit (a collection of classic stamps) will be organised and a special anthology to commemorate 125 years of Stan Laurel will be launched. Pappu ki Pugdandi has been chosen as the closing film of the festival.

26 new stadiums coming up in Bengal

To develop infrastructure for hosting more sporting events in the state, the West Bengal government will allot plots for a new cricket stadium, football academy and an indoor stadium.

At the Khel Ratna Samman ceremony, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said they are ready to give land to the CAB (Cricket Association of Bengal) to develop a cricket stadium in Rajarhat.

“I will give you (CAB) land, you prepare the stadium. One stadium (Eden Gardens) is not enough. With another stadium we will be able to host more sporting events,” she said adding that ISL franchisee Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) wants to establish a football academy in the city for which they are giving them some land in Dumdum area.

“I want them to nurture local talent in soccer. Take five clubs from Kolkata and five from the districts and nurture them. You spend so much money in ISL I want you to spend something for Bengal,” Banerjee said.

Besides the government also has plans to set up a new indoor stadium at a 20 acre plot in Rajarhat with a capacity of 20,000, she said.

On the Sports Village in Jalpaiguri district she said it will be of international standards but sought the support of the corporate sector in running it under a PPP (public private partnership) model.

“We have made the infrastructure and now if the corporates run it we are ready to extend all co-operation. They can take over and run this,” Banerjee said.

The chief minister also stressed on the need to have sports school so that football stars like Messi can be produced from the state.

“A committee with experts and corporates will identify which sports needs to be promoted and in what way. We want to nurture talent,” she said.

Altogether she said there are 26 new stadiums which are coming up in different parts of the state.

Kolkata has been selected as one of the venues for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

WB CM confers Khel Samman on sports legends

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee today felicitated exceptionally talented sportspersons of the State who have excelled in various fields of sports. The felicitation ceremony was held at Netaji Indoor Stadium earlier today.

The West Bengal Chief Minister conferred lifetime Khel Ratna awards to legendary footballer and former Indian captain PK Banerjee and Tennis ace and former captain of India in Davis Cup, Akhtar Ali.

Thirty one players were felicitated with Khel Samman while 11 coaches were honoured with Krira Guru awards.

Speaking on the occasion, West Bengal Chief Minister said that sports sector in Bengal was on its path of resurgence. Twenty six new stadiums were being set up across the State, she said.

“We are proud that the U-17 World Cup is being held in Kolkata. We must bring back the glorious days of Bengal’s football,” the CM added.

“The world of sports will come to Bengal once all the stadiums and infrastructure is in place. What Bengal thinks today the world thinks tomorrow,” she said.

WB CM announced that a new indoor stadium will come up on 20 acres of land near Eco Park in Rajarhat. She sought help from the corporate sector to run the Jalpaiguri Sports Village under PPP mode. She also requested the CAB to build a new cricket stadium in Kolkata.

 

Image: Khel Samman Awards, 2013

Tabu gives away Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Awards at KIFF closing ceremony

After the star-studded opening ceremony and week-long screenings of world cinema, City of Joy was witness to a gala closing ceremony of the 21st Kolkata International Film Festival.

Veteran actors Sharmila Tagore and Tabu graced the event, to be held at Nazrul Mancha at 5 PM, along with delegates from all over the world. Honourable ministers Firhad Hakim and Aroop Biswas will be present on the occasion while Subrata Mukherjee will preside over the function.

As many as 149 films by 137 directors from 61 countries were screened across 12 venues in the week-long extravaganza. This year for the second time, the KIFF was a competitive event. The competition focussed on films helmed by women filmmakers.

Headed by Sharmila Tagore, the jury comprising well-known Chinese-American actress Bai Ling, Polish director Filip Marczewski, Israeli filmmaker Samuel Maoz and Sri Lankan actress Swarna Mallawarachchi, selected the Best Film and Best Director from 14 short-listed movies.

CM puts Bengal in Cannes spotlight

Shooting international movies in Bengal has often meant horror stories of unprofessionalism and permission procuring problems. But Mamata Banerjee is all set to bring about a positive change in the scheme of things.

As a first step, she has sent actor-director Arindam Sil to the 68th Cannes Film Festival as part of an official delegate of the state government. Apart from trying to get films for the Kolkata Film Festival, Arindam Sil is there to woo international production houses by presenting Bengal as India’s most shooting-friendly destination.

Audio-visual presentation

He is carrying an audio-visual presentation that has glimpses of movies shot in Bengal -right from ‘Howrah Bridge’, ‘Mera Naam Joker’, ‘Yaraana’, ‘Main Hoon Na’, ‘ Aradhana’, ‘Mr and Mrs Iyer’, ‘City of Joy’, ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ to ‘The Japanese Wife’, ‘Yuva’, ‘Parineeta’, ‘Kahaani’, ‘Barfi’ and ‘Love Aaj Kal’.

The presentation was prepared by the state tourism department.

Single window clearance

Shooting units can now apply free of cost to the information and cultural affairs department and inform about their requirements.

Arindam Sil said there are no costs involved in the shooting. “Nothing will be charged for shooting at public places and government areas. A nominal price will be charged only if 20 policemen are needed to guard shooting locations. All permissions will be handled and coordinated from one point. The I&CA department will coordinate with Lalbazar, Kolkata municipality and police for permissions. Getting the same permissions in Mumbai will mean shelling out approximately Rs 1 lakh. Added to that is the delay. In Bengal, we will offer logistic support as well,“ he added. Henceforth, police and municipal permissions to shoot in Bengal will get single window clearance.

State youth welfare minister Aroop Biswas said, “We are trying to expedite matters and extending necessary support for shooting in Bengal. Strikes don’t happen at the drop of a hat any longer.”

Those handling international productions in India are thrilled with this news.