Tag: Bengal CM

KIFF now a true mass festival

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There was a time when the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) was known as an ‘intellectual’ event.

Mamata Banerjee changed things completely when she became chief minister. The mass leader that she was, she made KIFF an event for the masses but without compromising on quality. Varieties of films began to be shown – entertaining, middle-of-the-road, as well as of a higher order.

Mamata Banerjee brought the inauguration ceremony (which includes the inaugural film) to the Netaji Indoor Stadium – a 10,000-seater stadium.

Guests invited to the film festival acquired a much wider variety too. Popular film stars began to be invited, including to the inauguration and conclusion ceremonies. The participation of the local Tollywood film industry is now specially sought.

Another aspect of mass participation is ‘Parae Parae Cinema’ – wherein film shows are held on mobile vans in localities across Kolkata. It was introduced at the 2016 edition.

To increase and improve the quality of the participating films, a competition section was introduced. The Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award was originally given to the best film by a woman director. From 2018, the competition section has been opened to all. To add to the interest this year, two Bengali films have been included to the competition section for the best international film.

This year, people of not just Kolkata but surrounding places too would be able to enjoy the best of international cinema, as PVR Avani (Riverside Mall) In Howrah and PVR Diamond City (Diamond City Mall) in Dum Dum have been added to the list of cinemas participating in the film festival. The number of show venues has also been increased to 16 this year.

The number of films is also increasing year by year. The 24th edition has 170 films from about 70 countries.

Last but not the least is the aspect of food. Kolkata is synonymous with love for good food. Now, the Nandan-Rabindra Sadan complex hosts several stalls set by well-known restaurants and food chains during the duration of the festival, and they are invariably chock-a-block.

Kolkata International Film Festival is now truly a mass event. Every year now, people wait eagerly for November 10 and bid a sad goodbye on November 17, looking forward to another beautiful bouquet of films the next year.

Bangla Govt to develop fireworks manufacturing as a viable industry

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With a view to developing the manufacturing of fireworks as a major industry and control illegal manufacturing, the Bengal Government has decided set up fireworks manufacturing clusters across the State.

There are many villages where manufacturing firecrackers is the source of livelihood for many. The new policy would put a proper structure in place.

Manufacturing of fireworks is a recognised small-scale industry in the State, but it needs more organisation. Hence the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise and Textiles Department is coming up with the policy of setting up manufacturing clusters.

The Government has roped in Fireworks Research and Development Centre (FRDC) to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) to set up a cluster of fireworks factories on 50 acres at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas.

Based on the DPR, manufacturing clusters will be set up in the districts of Hooghly, Howrah, Murshidabad and Purba Bardhaman.

The policy would ensure a single-window opportunity for acquiring license and environment certificate by interested manufacturers.

It would ensure that the families involved in the manufacturing of firecrackers get to work in a better, safe and hazard-free environment. The clusters will have facilities for testing of materials to ensure quality control. The processes for manufacturing would be standardised.

There will be separate entry and exit points at each of the units in a cluster and those will have proper working conditions like adequate light, air, safety measures, etc. Moreover, warehouses for storing highly inflammable materials will be properly planned.

Source: Sangbad Pratidin

State administration takes measures for peaceful Kali Puja

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Like every year, this year too the State Government has put all arrangements in place for a peaceful Kali Puja.

This year, Kali Puja falls on November 6 and Deepavali on November 7. There will be 3,262 Kali Pujas in Kolkata and its suburbs. The police and the administration are leaving no stone unturned to make it a happy occasion for everybody concerned.

There will be special police arrangements at 26 spots and 618 police pickets. The police will continuously move around in cars and motorbikes to see to it there is no disorder. They will also use 114 auto-rickshaws for the purpose, to get to places which cannot be accessed by police jeeps.

There will be 23 heavy duty flying squads and 13 heavy radio flying squads, along with 21 quick response teams (QRT).

The Supreme Court has passed an order allowing firecrackers only from 8pm to 10pm, and the police will see to it that the order is followed.

For immersion, 34 ghats have been identified. These would be manned by police personnel too, and would have CCTV arrangements. Watchtowers will be built too for the purpose of security. Immersion will start on November 7 and continue till November 10.

At 29 of the ghats, there will be disaster management teams of Kolkata Police. There will be river traffic rescue teams at every ghat. Last but not the least there will be police pickets at 255 spots along various immersion routes.

Source: Aajkaal

Silicon Valley Hub of Bengal receives overwhelming response

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Kali Puja (Deepavali) has brought with it a tide of good news for the State’s IT sector. On Saturday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shared on her Facebook page that the Silicon Valley Hub project of Bengal has received overwhelming response from investors.

The State Government had launched the Silicon Valley Hub on August 13, 2018 to attract even more investment in IT, ITeS and ICT, and also to build a world-class ecosystem for cutting-edge technologies and innovation in Kolkata.

“In just 2 months, out of 100 acres of land earmarked for the Hub, 4 major global IT companies, among others, have applied to set up new investments on 74 acres already,” the CM wrote.

Reliance Jio wants 40 acres to set up a state-of-the-art centre for IT-enabled telecom, big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). TCS wants 20 acres in the Hub which will add another 15,000 IT professionals to their current workforce plan of 58,000 in Kolkata. Capgemini has asked for 10 acres to start cutting-edge IT business in Kolkata. Sanjiv Goenka will start with 4 acres for his IT company, Firstsource Solutions to conduct global operations from Kolkata.

“There are other innovative entrepreneurs who have also sought to join this ecosystem. In the meantime, Genpact of GE Capital of USA, is investing Rs 300 crore in a massive expansion,” the CM added.

“Encouraged by this quick and warm response, I am planning to add another 100 acres to the Silicon Valley Hub of Kolkata,” Mamata Banerjee announced.

Kalimpong Forest Division created

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To manage the forests of the district better, the State Forest Department has created a new forest division, Kalimpong Forest Division. The office has been set up in Kalimpong, and was inaugurated on November 1. It is being headed by a divisional forest officer (DFO).

Certain infrastructure of the Kalimpong Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) like the forest rest houses at Jaldhaka, Mongpong and Lava would be transferred to Kalimpong Forest Division.

A certain number of workers from the KDFC would also be transferred to Kalimpong Forest Division. Originally it had a sanctioned strength of 229. An additional 130 people have been employed. The district’s Soil Division, including its workers, has been absorbed by the newly-created forest division.

Source: Uttarbanga Sangbad

Organ donation awareness to be included in school curriculum in Bangla

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Organ donation is a noble deed. There are few deeds as noble as giving life to another person. In order to inculcate this thought in the minds of people early on in life, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) (that is, Madhyamik Education Board) has decided to introduce the topic in the class VIII syllabus. It would become a part of the syllabus from the next school year.

Besides aspects like the need for organ donation, the organs which can be donated and the details regarding the process, the syllabus would also contain some of the names of recent organ donors from Bangla, many of whose accounts have already been widely reported in the media. These real-life examples are meant to inspire the children. The topic of organ donation would be part of the life science syllabus.

The printing of the books, under the supervision of the WBBSE, is complete. The training of teachers has already started.

In recent years, the State Government has started giving a lot of stress on organ donation. It has created, with the help of the police, green corridors (special high-speed routes) for transporting organs from donor to recipient – be it within hospitals in Kolkata or bringing in or taking out through the airport.

It is crucial to take the organs(s) out of the body within a short time of death, or ‘brain death’, in medical parlance; hence the necessity of a green corridor.

Source: Sangbad Pratidin

Unholy nexus has gripped our nation during this festive season: Mamata Banerjee

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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today inaugurated a Kali Puja in north Kolkata. On the occasion, the CM said that an unholy nexus has gripped our nation during this festive season, which is making her anxious.

Referring to brutal murder of innocent Bengalis in Assam yesterday, the CM said the light of festivities have been marred by the grief over these killings.

She also said that minds which are full of darkness can never see beyond propaganda.

 

Highlights of the Chief Minister’s speech:

  • On one hand we are basking in the light of festivities. And on the other hand, my mind is filled with sadness. Yesterday, innocent people were brutally murdered in Tinsukia, Assam; I can see their faces. They belong to poorest of the poor families. Murderers do not discriminate between the rich and the poor. I am feeling extremely sad.
  • They are evicting Biharis in Gujarat and Bengalis in Assam. An ominous atmosphere is prevailing in this country, which is making me anxious. There is a tinge of grief in our festive spirit.
  • If you ask any businessman how their business is running, they will tell you that they are going through a bad phase. Agencies are threatening them. This situation never existed in the country before. Now an atmosphere of fear rules every household.
  • Many women worship Maa Lakshmi during Deepavali. They celebrate Dhanteras. Earlier, women used to save money in ‘Lakshmi Bhanr’. Now they are scared to even keep piggybanks at home, lest agencies take those away under some pretext. Agencies are threatening people to join some committee of RSS or face the consequences. This is unprecedented.
  • We love this country, hence we are feeling sad. We worship the goddess because we love our country. Our motherland is like our deity. Maa-Ammi-Mother – everyone is the same for us. This is our janmabhoomi, karmabhoomi. If she is not happy, how can we be happy?
  • I have often heard some people say that we have stopped Durga Puja in Bengal. How can someone make such baseless statements? Hinduism is centuries old, much older than these parties. Lakhs of people observe Durga Puja, Kali Puja. We worship multitudes of gods and goddesses. This is the plurality of our culture. Minds which are full of darkness can never see beyond propaganda.

Mamata Banerjee begins Kali Puja inaugurations

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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today began the inaugurations of Kali Pujas in Kolkata today. She started the Kali Puja inaugurations this year at a Kali Puja pandal in Girish Park.

She extended her advance wishes to the people on the occasion of Kali Puja, Diwali, Chhat Puja and Jagatdhatri Puja

Highlights of the Chief Minister’s speech:

  • There is a saying that Bengalis observe 13 festivals in 12 months. Festivals are the biggest unifier. We observed Durga Puja few days ago – from households to apartments, housings to clubs – everyone participated. Crores of people participated in the festivities. I congratulate the administration for managing the festival so well.
  • Bengal’s Durga Puja is now famous all over the world. Durga Puja carnival is one of the most important festivals across the globe.
  • Some people say Kali Puja, some say Shyama Puja while others say Deepavali. Some people light lamps, while some light candles. We all observe festivals as per our customs and traditions. Religion is personal while festivals are for all.
  • Ganesh Utsav is a big festival in Maharashtra. It is celebrated in Bengal also. We have different cultures but we share the joy.
  • I pray to Maa Kali to give lead us to enlightenment. Help us remove divisive mentality, violence, discrimination, oppression from the world. Let the light of festivities help us achieve mukti.
  • Many clubs observe Kali Puja. The theme of this club is the many facets of Maa Kali.
  • Enjoy the festivities but keep in mind that your enjoyment should not become the cause of pain for others.
  • We want the festive season to end on a peaceful note. I seek strength, happiness and health for all from Maa Kali.

Trinamool hits the streets to protest against killing of Bengalis in Assam

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Five persons were shot dead in Assam’s Bishnoimukh village in Assam. The attack occurred near Dhola-Sadiya bridge in Tinsukia district around 7 PM on Thursday.

After condemning the attack, Bangla Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned if the killings were in retaliation to the National Register of Citizens in the state. Over 40 lakh people face deportation from India as their names were excluded in the final draft of the list published on July 30.

“Terrible news coming out of Assam. We strongly condemn the brutal attack in Tinsukia and the killing of Shyamlal Biswas, Ananta Biswas, Abhinash Biswas, Subodh Das. Is this the outcome of recent NRC development,” Mamata Banerjee said in a statement on Twitter.

“We have no words to express our deep sorrow to the grieving families. The perpetrators must be punished at the very earliest. The fifth victim in Tinsukia … Dhananjay Namashudra,” she added.

All India Trinamool Congress held protest marches across Bangla today to condemn these dastardly murders. A protest march was led by Abhishek Banerjee – MP and National President of Trinamool Youth Congress – from Jadavpur to Hazra.

Highlights of Abhishek Banerjee’s speech:

  • Yesterday we received the news of the brutal murder of 5 Bengalis in Tinsukia (Assam) at 10:30 PM. We had witnessed mass murders in the CPI(M) era. This incident is a stark reminder of those incidents.
  • We were instructed by our leader Mamata Banerjee last night itself from north Bengal at late night. Our workers received the news in the morning. We are thankful to all for this stupendous response in this short span of time.
  • When Afrazul was hacked to death in Rajasthan, Mamata Banerjee had instructed us to organise protests. We have hit the streets again today.
  • This is not a fight between Trinamool and BJP. This is not CPI(M) vs Trinamool. This is a fight to preserve the Bengali culture. This is fight for the right of Bengalis. This fight is against BJP’s politics of oppression and forcible occupation. We will work as per the directions given by Mamata Banerjee.
  • In the 80’s and 90’s, we had seen how CPI(M) used to kill farmers and then sermonise about their welfare. Now we are seeing so-called pro-Hindu BJP killing Hindus. ‘Hindu mere Hindu prem, BJP shame shame.”
  • During Left rule, they used to raise the slogan ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ but discriminated among people based on political leanings. And now, BJP only says ‘Jai Shree Ram’ while fuel prices are skyrocketing.
  • The budget for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a meagre Rs 200 crore. And they built a statue worth Rs 3000 crore. On the other hand, they are killing Bengalis in Assam.
  • Many people from other States live in Bengal in peace. They have never been discriminated against. This is the culture of Bengal.
  • Today, many of my minority friends finished their namaz and joined these protests against the brutal murder of ‘Hindus’ in Assam. This is culture of harmony in Bengal.
  • Yesterday we heard reports that ULFA was involved in the incident. Today they have given a statement that they have nothing to do with the incident. Who were those people in police uniform, who murdered those five innocent people?
  • There must be a free and fair probe into this incident. The investigation must be monitored by the Supreme Court.
  • The Chief Minister of Assam must resign. Why are Bengalis committing suicide in Assam? Why was a famous singer attacked for singing a Bengali song in Guwahati?
  • Mamata Banerjee has categorically said NRC will not be implemented in Bengal.
  • Mamata Banerjee inaugurated at least 100 Durga Pujas in Kolkata. Have you seen any single flex by BJP during Sharadotsav? No. Because they believe in north Indian culture, not Bengali culture.
  • More than 100 people died in the queues during demonetisation. Farmers were killed in police firing in Madhya Pradesh. More than 80 children died due to lack of oxygen at a hospital in UP. This is the example of governance by BJP.
  • They are bringing leaders from other States. They have no idea about Bengali culture and dream of ‘capturing Bengal’.
  • We believe in politics of courtesy. But if they try to disrupt peace in Bengal, we will not tolerate it.
  • Let them compete on the basis of facts and figures. Let us compare the progress made by Bengal versus that of Centre.
  • In the coming days, our slogan should be ‘Du hajar unish, BJP finish. BJP hatao, desh bachao’.

KIFF 2018 to highlight 100 years of Bengali cinema

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The Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) is going to be inaugurated on November 10. Like every year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to do the honours. It will continue till November 17.

This year will be the 24th year of the festival, which has grown hugely over the last few years of the Trinamool Congress Government. The chief minister takes a personal interest in this annual international programme.

The special attraction this year is 100 years of Bengali cinema. The theme country is Australia.

That the festival is gaining a name for itself in the world of international film festival is attested by the fact that increasingly prominent film personalities from around the world are attending the festival.

The highlight of 100 years of Bengali cinema would be films by legends like Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen. A special pavilion of film-related pictures and posters, highlighting the rich history of cinema in Bengal, would also be created.

This year, the famous Iranian director, Majid Majidi would be coming and would also be attending the inauguration programme. Australian film editor Jill Elizabeth Bilcock, of Romeo+Juliet and Moulin Rouge fame, would be present. Also attending the festival would be director Phillip Noyce, also from Australia.

Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan will grace the inauguration programme this year too, along with the State’s brand ambassador, Shah Rukh Khan, as well as Sanjay Dutt, Sharmila Tagore and Mahesh Bhatt.

According to a senior government official, this year more number of films would be screened.

Source: Bartaman