KMC to introduce computers in its schools

KMC to introduce computers in its schools

Posted on June 29, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will soon introduce computer education in its schools. The syllabus in this regard has already been prepared by the Education Department of the civic body.

The Member Mayor-in-Council (MMiC) Education said that the syllabus has been framed in accordance with the computer syllabus of the State primary schools that are run by the West Bengal Board of Primary Education. Also, the syllabus has been prepared in three languages: Hindi, Bengali and English.

The KMC plans to start computer education in nearly 50 schools at first and then proceed further.

Source: Millennium Post

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Bengal Govt plans overhaul of unique Patuli floating market

Posted on June 29, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The State Government agency, Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) has decided to overhaul the unique floating market in Patuli, adjacent to EM Bypass. A series of changes will be brought about to make the place more accessible. The market has 228 sellers sitting on 114 boats.

The market, the first of its kind in the country, similar to the floating market at Bangkok in Thailand, had started functioning in January this year.

For electricity supply, environment-friendly solar power will be taken recourse to. Solar panels will be installed. The number and arrangements of the lights will be increased too.

Sheds will be constructed for the benefit of the buyers during the monsoon season.

On the request of shoppers, the four zones – for fish, for chicken, mutton and eggs, for vegetables, fruits and flowers, and for grocery and miscellaneous items – will be rearranged so as to place the vegetable and fish zones side-by-side.

The wooden ramps set up on a platform made of sal wood, on which people travel over the surface of the water for shopping in the market, are being repaired with the onset of monsoon.

A toilet will be constructed in an area adjacent to the floating market.

A food court will be constructed on the premises of the floating market, where tea and a variety of snacks will be served at a reasonable price. The market, particularly in the evening, has also already turned into a popular adda zone for the local people.

The seating arrangement in and around the waterbody will also be enhanced, so that people can come and spend time there comfortably.

Two more fountains will be set up in the waterbody.

A waterbody located on the southern side of the floating market will be beautified too.

The Technical Appraisal Committee of KMDA is considering in detail all the proposals. As soon as it finishes that, the construction work will begin.

Source: Millennium Post

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Haringhata Meat to launch chicken chips for the first time in India

Posted on June 29, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Haringhata Meat, a chain of raw as well as ready-to-eat meat shops under the State Animal Resources Development Department, has decided to introduce chicken pickles and chicken chips.

According to the managing director of Haringhata Meat, this is the first time in Indian that chicken chips will be produced. The machinery for producing the chips is being installed. Production will start after people are trained on how to use them. Chicken pickle is already being produced.

The pickle was launched in June while the chips will be launched around the time of Durga Puja.

These innovation products, said the managing director, will increase the sales of Haringhata Meat manifold. As it is, the brand is steadily gaining popularity. Outlets are being opened both in Kolkata and across the State.

Source: Dainik Jugasankha

Bengal Govt to create madur hub in Kharagpur

Posted on June 28, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The Bengal Government has decided to create a hub for the madur (traditional mat of Bengal) in Kharagpur in the district of Purba Medinipur. It will be located at Vidyasagar Industrial Park. Rs 6 crore has been set aside for it.

Kharagpur subdivision is specially known for madur. In fact, more than half of the madurs sold in the country come from Sabang block in the subdivision, where every other family is engaged in this craft.

Sabang is the heart of the madur-making industry. Two Karmatirthas have also been set up in Ruinan and Jhikuria in the block where madur-weavers from across the block would be brought to create a permanent market.

Source: News18 Bengali

Industrial production in Bengal has increased by 250%

Posted on June 28, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The rate of industrial production in Bengal has increased by 250 per cent over the last seven years, which is the period of the Trinamool Congress Government.

This fact came to the fore through a recent report, ‘Progress of the State’ (‘Rajyer Agragati’) published by the State Government. While it was 2.2 per cent in the 2011-12 fiscal, it has steadily increased to stand at 7.9 per cent in the 2017-18 fiscal.

Among other data presented in the report is the increase in yearly exports by value, from 711 crore US dollars to 825 crore US dollars, which is an increase of 16 per cent. A roadmap has already been prepared for doubling exports within the next three years.

A lot of stress is being given on promoting export-oriented activities, especially by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). Suitable infrastructure is being built up.

According to the report, for exports, stress is being given on steel, gold, high-value metals, readymade garments and vegetables.

For the development of industrial infrastructure in Bengal, investment made in 2017 was Rs 989 crore, which was only Rs 243 crore in 2011. The State Government had made investments worth Rs 3,602.53 crore over the last seven years.

Investments for development of industrial infrastructure have also come about through the highly successful Bengal Global Business Summits. From 2015 to 2018, over the course of four summits, investment proposals worth Rs 9,48,568.77 crore have come about.

Electronics manufacturing in Bengal to see a lot of change soon

Posted on June 28, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Electronics manufacturing in Bengal is going to see a lot of changes soon. According to the State Information Technology and Electronics (IT&E) Minister, the Government is putting a lot of stress on this sector as there is a huge employment potential, with the emergence of automated vehicle, robotics and Internet of Things (IoT) across the globe.

The State is fully prepared to take a lead in this sector in the country. The Government is coming up with two electronics manufacturing clusters (EMC) in Kalyani and Falta. They will be ready within a year.

A 107-acre hardware park is already complete in Sonarpur. It has plug-and-play infrastructure with uninterrupted power supply, round-the-clock potable filtered water and top-class drainage and water supply systems.

Also, there are 12 existing IT parks across the State and the third floor in each of these parks is earmarked for electronics.

The IT Minister gave the above information while speaking at a knowledge-sharing workshop on ‘Embedded Technology’ at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre on June 15.

Source: Millennium Post

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Primary Agri Cooperative Societies to be upgraded by Bengal Govt

Posted on June 28, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The around 2,600 Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), which are the main deposit mobilising institutions in rural areas, are being upgraded by the State Government by computerising them and connecting them to core banking solution of cooperative banks.

This is meant to further extend banking service to the rural populace in the State, to places which lack proper banks. Thus a PACS would become a customer service point for banking facilities.

The work to upgrade 1,133 PACS to banks has already been initiated. The target for completing the upgrading of all the PACS has been set as the end of financial year 2019-20. Upgrading all PACS would ensure that people in every part of the State can avail banking facilities.

The State Level Monitoring Committee for Cooperative Sector, a high-powered committee set up last January to look into the matter of extending banking facilities to more rural areas, has suggested the above as well as a series of other measures to improve the cooperative sector, which have been accepted by the Bengal Government.

It has recommended that district and state cooperative banks open bank branches in the gram panchayats with no banking facilities. Steps have already been taken to install micro-ATMs in all the PACSs.

The panel has proposed the establishment of 2,000 farm machinery hubs through the best-performing PACS. This has also been accepted by the Government. During 2018-19, 1,000 such hubs will be established; the remaining will be taken up during the 2019-20 fiscal.

Citing the current practice of giving interest subsidy to farmers for short-term crop loans from cooperatives, the committee has suggested that the same facility should be provided for long-term loans as well.

The State Government has also decided to give ad hoc grant to all employees of cooperatives and the amount of the grant is to be raised from Rs 1,000 per to Rs 2,000 per month.

The cooperative employees will also be brought under the Swasthya Sathi scheme of the State Government.

The State Government has also taken necessary steps so that the audit of all cooperative bodies is carried out and corrective measures, if needed, are taken immediately.

Source: Millennium Post

Bengal bags 31 SKOCH awards for governance

Posted on June 27, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

For the first time, in 2018, Bengal has won the highest number of SKOCH awards. This is another proof of the success that the Trinamool Congress Government, under the inspiring leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has had with its series of projects for the overall development of the State.

The SKOCH awards have recognised the fact that the projects of the Bengal Government have immensely benefited the people of the State.

Bengal has bagged 31 Skoch Awards in 2018 for performance across different sectors as well as for implementing unique projects.

Here are the details:

National Significance Award- Platinum Award

1. Awarded as State of the year for Finance
2. Awarded as State of the Year for Urban Development
3. Awarded as State of the Year for Rural Development
4. Awarded as State of the Year for Tourism & Culture

Platinum Award

1. Urban Development Department for Online initiative of Asansol Durgapur Development Authority
2. Panchayat and Rural Development Department for GI based Integrated Planning & Monitoring
3. Panchayat and Rural Development Department for empowering women SHG institutions supplying uniforms to school students
4. Directorate of Pension, PF & GI for e-pension
5. Information and Cultural Affairs Department for ‘Lok Prasar Prakalpa’

Gold Award:

1. Bankura District Administration for livelihood support ( fight against malnutrition and exclusion)
2. WEBEL Informatics Ltd of IT&E Dept for implementation of Information & Communication Technologies at schools
3. Health & FW Dept for Fair Price Diagnostic Centre monitoring
4. Urban Development Department Dept for development of Green Zone in Kolkata
5. Transport Dept for Gatidhara scheme
6. MSME&T Dept for setting up MSME facilitation centres in all districts
7. Panchayat and Rural Development Dept for GPS enabled e-attendance system for field staff of the dept.
8. Panchayat and Rural Development Dept for e-grievance management system for rural citizens
9. Panchayat and Rural Development Dept for credit linkage of women SHGs under Anandadhara
10. Panchayat and Rural Development Dept for Gram Vikasam scheme
11. P&AR and e-Gov Dept for RFID based Taxi Management System
12. WEBEL (IT&E Dept) for ‘Matir Katha’ scheme

Silver Award

1. Purba Bardhaman District Administration for livelihood through Brikkha Patta
2. Coochbehar District Administration for rural livelihood development
3. Dakshin Dinajpur District Administration for ‘Ascend of ALO’ –(women empowerment)
4. Jalpaiguri District Administration for livelihood through innovation
5. Health & FW Dept for grievance redressal system- WBCERC
6. Urban Development Dept for installation of Solar High mast LED Lights at Jaigaon
7. Urban Development Dept for tourism (eco-tourism complex at Saheb Bandh, Purulia)
8. Panchayat and Rural Development Dept for Panchayati Raj Information System
9. WRI&D Dept for e-project management system under WBADMI through Webgis technology
10. MSME&T Dept for setting up SWAS (Service with a Smile) mobile app based helpdesk and enquiry handling system

Bengal Fisheries Dev Corp sets examples for other States

Posted on June 27, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The Bengal Government’s State Fisheries Development Corporation (SFDC) has created a big impression at the recently-held two-day seminar-cum-fish festival organised by National Fisheries Development Board in Visakhapatnam.

The programme featured technical sessions, an exhibition, a fish festival and a cultural show.

According to the managing director of SFDC, the invitation itself was proof that the fish heritage of Bengal has attracted the attention of the whole country.

The managing director said that delegates were very impressed with the pond-based saline water fish culture that the SFDC has innovated. The fish cultivations are taking place in ponds on Henry’s Island.

At the exhibition, raw as well as cooked fish from the State were exhibited, and they proved very popular among the delegates. SFDC had taken chefs with them who rustled up the famous traditional fish dishes of Bengal.

This was a big step in making the well-known fishes and fish dishes as well as fish technologies of the State famous at a national level.

Over the years, under the patronage of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the fisheries sector in Bengal has taken long strides to become one of the best in the country, at par or even better than the traditionally strong States in the south.

SFDC has also been invited to a meet on July 10 on the occasion of National Fish Farmers’ Day where officials from fish development bodies of various States, scientists, entrepreneurs and about 500 fish farmers from across the country would be present.

Source: The Statesman, Aajkaal

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Bengal Govt planning scientific bus route mapping for Kolkata

Posted on June 27, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

After developing the transport infrastructure in Bengal in a massive way with the introduction of new buses and new routes, the Transport Department has decided to bring in another measure to further improve things.

It has appointed the PSU, RITES for conducting a route optimisation study for Kolkata. Through this, it will be determined how many buses need to run on each of the routes and at what times to serve the maximum number of passengers.

The study is currently undergoing. It would cover the recently introduced night bus services as well.

The Pathadisha app has already brought in a lot of change. People can now know the exact locations of many buses and hence determine how long to wait. The night bus service is another well-thought out idea.

With the results of this study, which is being conducted, a scientific route structure can be mapped out, something followed in many advanced countries.

Source: Ei Samay

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