Biswa Bangla Sharod Samman given away

Biswa Bangla Sharod Samman given away

Posted on November 26, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

West Bengal government, led by Mamata Banerjee, had instituted the ‘Biswa Bangla Sharod Samman’ in 2014 to honour the best durga puja committees in not just Kolkata and Bengal but across the globe.

This year was the second season of the awards. Response from across various countries was huge.

The prizes for the best puja committees were given away today at a glorious ceremony held at Nazrul Mancha.

Here is the list of winners:

Awards will be given in the categories like Sera Mandop, Sera Protima, Sera Aloksojja and Sera Bhabna. Innovative awards include Sera Abiskar, Sera Silpi, Sera Theme Song/Aboho, Sera Paribesh Bandhab.

Awards are also being given the categories Sera Branding and Sera Dhakesri.

Biswa Bangla Sharod Samman holds in its purview not only the pujas of Kolkata and Bengal but also of other Indian cities and foreign countries where Bengalis celebrate the autumn fest with equal mirth and enthusiasm.

Highlights of WB CM’s speech:

Bengal turns into a museum of art during Durga Puja. The creativity of Bengal is on display at that time
My vision of Biswa Bangla wants to establish Bengal as a global name. We want Bengal to be the best
We are very happy to see various committees – big and small – from different parts of the country present today
I want to thank the Police for their tireless efforts during Puja
From next year we are planning to organise an immersion procession involving all puja committees during Durga Puja
A lot of commercial activities are associated with Durga Puja. Several people get employment
We will establish Durga Puja as a global tourist attraction in the future. Durga Puja brings with it a breath of fresh air in our lives
The wait for next year’s Durga Puja starts from the moment the idol is immersed
There can be no discrimination between Maa, Mother and Ammi
I invite all of you to come to Bengal against next year for Durga Puja. Let us transform into Biswa Bangla

Biswa Bangla stalls to showcase lost and forgotten art of Bengal dollmaking

Posted on October 28, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Biswa Bangla stalls will now showcase lost and forgotten art of dollmaking in the State.

A total of 27 genres of Bangla dolls, including rare ones, such as Bonga elephants of Sandra (Bankura), animal dolls from Belia (West Midnapore) and Shiva head of Nabadwip (Nadia), have been brought together at the state-run handicraft retail chain.

Some of the dolls are so rare that only one or two families in the entire state make them now. With the market for these dolls going down, most artisan families have stopped making dolls.

The Shiva Head of Nabadwip is now made only at the time of Basanti Puja, to mark the mythological wedding of Shiva and Parvati. The local artists create colourful masks of Shiva. Unlike terracotta figures, which are baked in ovens, these dolls are dried in the sun. The masks, once painted, are then taken door to door to collect money for the ritual. These artisans make dolls only during Chaitra.

The Biswa Bangla authorities are trying to present the different dolls to the connoisseurs in India and abroad. We have already seen a good demand at our London store. We are also coming up with miniature dolls, along with a short history for them. This makes for an excellent collectors’ item.

It took six months to find some of the rare dolls. The Bonga elephants are not made anymore. They were made by tribals in Bankura, and were dedicated to the Santhali deity, Singh Bonga, at a place called Zaher. In some cases, artistes were convinced to revive their art. The figurines need to have utility too. We assured them a good price and a market too. The unique feature of the elephant is its round shape, nowhere found in other dolls. Animal dolls of Belia have unique features and incorporate semi-circular shapes of the ears. The elephants of Belia are different from other genres with their long round trunks and large ears.

Bengal artefacts huge draw at London Design Festival

Posted on September 29, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Exquisite artefacts from West Bengal with long histories such as ‘jamdani’, ‘muslin’, ‘kantha’ and ‘balaposh’ were a major draw in the London Design Festival.

The artefacts included the ‘Indo-Portuguese shawl’, which draws on a long history of colonialism in Bengal and a confluence of cultures. The seven artefacts displayed under the ‘Biswa Bangla’ initiative showcased the best of the state’s handloom and handicrafts sector.

“We got an excellent response. We tested the waters here, and received many inquiries for regular supplies. Biswa Bangla is now in the process of opening a store in Piccadilly to scale up our efforts,”, Rajiva Sinha, principal secretary of the state’s department of textiles said.

Described as an initiative that eliminates ‘middlemen’ and distributes all profits among traditional craftspersons associated with it, Biswa Bangla achieved a revenue of Rs 15 crore in its first year and is on target to achieve a revenue of Rs 25 crore with a larger pool of craftspersons.

Besides stores in West Bengal and New Delhi, it will be the first time that any state government will have such stores outside India, officials attending the London Design Festival said. Besides London, there are plans to open a store in China.

7,000 traditional craftspersons are associated with Biswa Bangla, producing 5,400 products, many of whom have long histories and were part of international trade during the colonial era. Some products are due to be displayed at the Victoria & Albert Museum next year.

The products on display included ‘patachitra’, or scrolls on which mythological or epic stories are painted in a sequence, and masks from south Dinajpur and Bankura, made from bamboo, wood and clay.

A slice of Bengal in New Delhi: WB CM inaugurates “Biswa Bangla” showroom

Posted on August 12, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Bringing under one roof the whole gamut of the creative genius of Bengal – ranging from handloom-handicrafts to literature – a new “Biswa Bangla” store was inaugurated at the national capital today by Mamata Banerjee, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal.

The store was opened by the the Hon’ble Chief Minister in the presence of senior officials of the Government of West Bengal and the Biswa Bangla consortium.

The state-of-the-art outlet has come up following renovation and conversion of the Manjusha Emporium at the ground floor of the Office of the Resident Commissioner, Government of West Bengal, at Connaught Place in the heart of the city.

Traditional sarees, beautiful handloom products and hand-crafted marvels of Bengal, and Darjeeling tea as well as Bangla books, CDs of Bengali music and classic films will be available at the Biswa Bangla store.

It is expected to be the one-stop shop for everything Bengali – an initiative that is aimed at catering to domestic consumers as also building brand Bengal in the international market. This is the sixth showroom of “Biswa Bangla.

Biswa Bangla to be part of the London Design Festival this year

Posted on July 31, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

It will be a Bengal summer at one of Britain’s most revered museums next year – the Victoria and Albert Museum. Bengal’s stunning textiles and designs will form part of V&A’s spring summer festival in April 2016. Biswa Bangla will be part of the London Design Festival this year from September 19 to 27.

The Victoria and Albert Museum is going big on Indian fabrics. ‘The Fabric of India’, being held at V&A from October 3 2015, to January 10, 2016, will be the first exhibition to fully explore the incomparably rich world of handmade textiles from India.

Biswa Bangla is a single umbrella organization showcasing and promoting all handloom and handicraft products of West Bengal. It is an initiative to address the issues that impact our heritage and the livelihoods of thousands of traditional craftsmen and weavers by improving the visibility and growth of the handloom and handicrafts sector and directly benefiting the weavers and artisans.

The Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles of the Government of West Bengal has begun working to improve the quality of life of handloom weavers and craftspersons and advance cross-cultural understanding through the identification, documentation, preservation, and presentation of the traditional arts of the state of West Bengal.

‘Biswa Bangla’ brand to be taken overseas

Posted on June 20, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday said the ‘Biswa Bangla’ brand, under which all handloom and handicraft products of the state are being sold, would soon be taken overseas.

Stores selling products under the brand would be opened in London and China and talks are on in this regard, Ms Banerjee said after inaugurating a ‘Biswa Bangla’ store at Bagdogra airport near here.

This is the fifth ‘Biswa Bangla’ store. The first four had been opened in Kolkata – at the NSC Bose International Airport, Dumdum Domestic Airport, Dakshinapan shopping complex and Biswa Bangla Haat at Rajarhat.

These stalls would revive handloom and handicrafts industries of the state and those involved in these industries would be benefited, Banerjee said.

“Biswa Bangla has achieved success. Foreign and international tourists are buying its products from the stall in Kolkata airport,” she said.

Products like dress materials and readymade garments in traditional Bengali handloom, household items, food and sweets, Darjeeling tea, handicrafts from various districts of the state other items are being sold in these stores.

Earlier, these items were sold by various organisations under different brand names. The Mamata Banerjee government has brought them under a single umbrella organisation and brand name, ‘Biswa Bangla’.

WB CM inaugurates Biswa Bangla store at Bagdogra Airport

Posted on June 19, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the outlet of the Biswa Bangla chain of stores at Bagdogra Airport today.

The government-run chain of stores is the brainchild of West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee and has been set up by the Micro and Small-scale Enterprises and Textiles Department to showcase all handicrafts, handloom and other traditional and famous products of the State.

For the first time, all exclusive products of Bengal, from sweets to muslin saris, have been made available under one umbrella. The marketing strategy is different from the familiar Manjusha or Tantuja stores.

Products

Sweets: Rosogolla, nolen gurersandesh, langcha and mihidana are the popular picks here.

This and that:

Darjeeling tea, apparel, amsotto and kasundi (both from Maldah), jute bags and brass and silver jewellery are available.
Jute bags with an ‘I love Bengal’ logo on them have been specially designed for the store.
Indigo-dyed saris are being produced by weavers in Nadia’s Phulia. The hand spun and hand-woven yarn is dyed in indigo and then woven into Jamdani saris.
Khadi shirts for men, silk kurtis for women, Kantha and Jamdani matka saris, and shawls are available at the store.
Special-edition CDs of Bengali folk music, Tagore, Nazrul and baul songs, and Mahsishasur Mardini have been produced for the store.

HIDCO to develop Eco Village in Rajarhat

Posted on June 16, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

After Eco Park, now Eco Village, a replica of reality. Those who do not have the opportunity of visiting rural Bengal will be able to experience how an ideal village is – Mud houses, naturally, without AC, ponds with fish in them and which you can fish as well. You can even cook the fish you catch at the new facility.

How about a boat-ride? HIDCO is planning to introduce only paddle and shikara boats instead of motor ones. Ample food options will also be available.

Urban Village

HIDCO’s Urban Eco Village is coming up on an 84 acre plot opposite the Eco Park. A village ecosystem is being developed by HIDCO with bamboo, hay and wood surrounding a huge water body. Here you will be able to go out for fishing, bird-watching or boating, you will also be able to see and taste the dishes of native Bengal.

As souvenirs you will be able to purchase handicrafts. Just as the Maidan acts as the lungs of Kolkata, Eco Park is the same for New Town. Eco Village will be an added oxygen supplier to those lungs”.

Prime location

A broad road stretches from the middle of gates 2 and 3 of the Eco Park starting from the Biswa Bangla Sarani till the end of Action Area 2, various apartments are located here. Opposite that, a huge plot of land has been identified beside Nababpur and Famerhati villages.

Eco Village is being developed around a water-body. Except for the washrooms, nothing else will be made of concrete here. The ducks will be introduced in the pond and various flowering plants and fruits will be grown on its sides.

Tourist attractions

A bird-watching tower is also a part of the plans, apart from the local birds, various migratory birds will be seen here. Open bill bird from Indonesia comes here.

Huts will be made available for resting in the afternoon. People can get a feel of Santiniketan or Darjeeling. Apart from that, village experience from North and South India will be available. Kids will also get a park in this facility.

When seen from the sky, the village will be in the shape of the English alphabet ‘B’. HIDCO has already begun their work as per the schedule.

Bengal products on China shelves

Posted on June 12, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Bengal products will now be found in Chinese markets -courtesy an MoU between Biswa Bangla Corporation and Haohong Logistics Corporation, a unit of the billion Yuan Haohong Group.

Two way trade

Biswa Bangla Corporation, developed by the Mamata Banerjee government, will have a permanent stall at Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, to showcase Bengal products.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Yunnan governor Chen Hao, union minister of state for external affairs and Bengal finance and industries minister Amit Mitra. The Haohong Group has allotted a 100 sq m area in its industrial park.

Dr Mitra said: “Bengal handicrafts will now be available in China. This is a major step.”

Boost to tourism

The West Bengal tourism department also expects better inflow of Chinese tourists to Bengal following an MoU with the Yunnan provincial tourism corporation. The agreement was signed after chairman of West Bengal chapter, Indian Tour Operators Association, Debajit Dutta made a presentation on Bengal tourism.

Stronger ties between sister cities

Another MOU was signed between MSME Technology Centre and Kunming SME financial transaction service, which will act as the backbone for SME infrastructure in Bengal, said state MSME secretary Rajiva Sinha.

Earlier Kunming governor expressed interest in setting up an industrial park in Bengal which he feels should strengthen relationship with Yunnan.

Dr Mitra later said that the Yunnan governor has agreed to send an investors’ delegation to the next Bengal business summit. Mitra urged Yunnan investors to invest in the upcoming Bengal townships, one of the pet projects of chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

“We are building 22 smart cities on private-public partnership. I would request Chinese companies to invest here. Yunnan is very strong in food processing and cold storage infrastructure. We would require investment in these sectors as well,” he added.

MSME Sector: Backbone of Bengal’s Growth

Posted on January 4, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Mirco Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector contributes nearly 8% of the GDP nationally, 45% of manufacturing outputs and 40% of exports. They provide the highest employment after agriculture.

West Bengal has the second largest number of MSME enterprises. It has 36.64 lakh enterprises which constitute about 10% of total Indian MSME enterprises. With an output of Rs 78,880 lakh crore it represents an important sector of West Bengal’s economy.

During the last 30 months, 29,735 new industries have been set-up, with an investment of Rs 2,595 crore, This has resulted in employment generation to the tune of 2,02,245 jobs.

Actions speak louder than words:

Policy for medium, micro and small-scale, and textile, industries, 2013-18 has been announced.

More than 29 thousand new enterprises have been set up with and investment in 2595 crore and expected employment generation of more than 2 lakh people.

Incentives of worth of Rs 191 crore have been provided. In terms of credit allotment by banks the amount stands at 8900 crore in the first month of the FY 2013-14. Both in terms of growth (105%)of bank credit and in terms of amounts, West Bengal stands first in the nation.

More than 5 lakhs identity card has been issued for both weavers and artisans. More than 3.8 lakh weavers have been register in health insurance schemes.

Various Marketing hubs, clusters, common facility centers have been set up. Biswa Bangla Haats have been opened in Durgapur and Rajarhat and in Santiniketan, Purulia, Bishnupur, Alipurduar, Siliguri and Jhargram more haats are in the process of opening.

Three new industrial hubs have been opened and construction work going on for Mega Textile Park in Belur, Silk Park in Malda, Eco-tourism Park in Banarhat and World Micro Market in Santiniketan.

16 Common Facility centres (CFC) have been created and 17 clusters have been created.

20 lakh man days have been generated in handloom sector and Rs 194 crore has been invested for 5 lakh handloom weavers.

A programme has been initiated under National Fibre Mission (NFM) to invest Rs 257 crore for 17,000 artisans and weavers in 11 underdeveloped districts.

Technology Facilitation Centre (TFC) has been started with co-operation of CSIR in Kolkata for MSME. Design Facilitation Centre (DFC) has been created in Kolkata for handloom weavers.

While the country performed abysmally with a 0.7% growth rate in the industrial sector, constant focus on the MSME sector has been a major factor in West Bengal’s achievement of a 9.58% industrial growth rate in the financial year 2013-14.

Come to Bengal… Ride the growth: bengalglobalsummit.com