51 enclaves in Bengal to get solar-based water pumping units for agriculture

In a bid to ensure that residents of “chitmahals” can channelise water for agriculture using “free of cost” power, The West Bengal Government is setting up solar based water pumping units in all the 51 enclaves that came under India.

The step is aimed to make the people residing in the enclaves self dependent. The project is a brainchild of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the state irrigation department has taken necessary initiatives to let people get benefitted as early as possible.

A total of 212 units will be set up in the enclaves in phase-I, benefitting 6360 families. Each of the units has the capacity of channelising water on 80 to 100 bighas of land.

They can also fill up small plots of low lands in the area using the units to initiate pisciculture.

 

৫১টি ছিটমহল এবার কৃষিকাজের জন্য সৌর ভিত্তিক পাম্পিং ইউনিট পাবে

ছিটমহলবাসীরা যাতে কৃষিকাজের জন্য পর্যাপ্ত জল পেতে পারে সেজন্য ৫১টি ছিটমহল এলাকায় সৌরভিত্তিক পাম্পিং ইউনিট চালু করছে রাজ্য সরকার।

ছিটমহলবাসীদের স্বনির্ভর করাই আসল উদ্দেশ্য। প্রকল্পটি মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়ের। তার এই স্বপ্নের প্রকল্পটি বাস্তবায়ন করার জন্য রাজ্য সেচ দপ্তর বেশ কিছু প্রয়োজনীয় পদক্ষেপ নিচ্ছে এর ফলে এলাকার মানুষ খুব শীঘ্রই উপকৃত হবে।

প্রথম দফায় ২১২টি ইউনিট স্থাপন করা হবে এর ফলে প্রায় ৬৩৬০ পরিবার উপকৃত হবে। প্রতিটি ইউনিটের ৮০-১০০ বিঘা জমিতে জল দেওয়ার ক্ষমতা থাকবে।

মাছ চাষের জন্য তারা ছোট ছোট জমিগুলো ব্যবহার করতে পারে।

WB CM welcomes first batch of enclave-dwellers from Bangladesh to India

First batch of people, who were living in Indian Enclaves in Bangladesh have today entered India. A group of 19 families that included 62 persons reached Coochbehar district crossing Changrabandha border post.

Following the implementation of Land Boundary agreement, around 1000 people living in Indian Enclaves opted for Indian citizenship while rest of them chose to stay in Bangladesh. However, people living in Bangladeshi enclaves in India preferred to stay in India.

Welcoming the people from Bangladesh, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee posted in social networking websites, “Pursuant to the historic Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh held in Dhaka in June 2015, where I was also present, the first batch of 19 families consisting of 62 persons from Indian enclaves in Bangladesh who have opted to stay in India entered our country today through Changrabandha in Coochbehar.”

She further adds, “I heartily welcome our brothers and sisters from “opar bangla” and wish them a very pleasant stay here.Our government will take full care of them.”

WB CM lays foundation for ‘Joyee’ bridge in Haldibari

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee visited Haldibari in Cooch Behar today in keeping with her commitment made to the new Indian citizens who are settling here following the enclave exchange between India and Bangladesh.

The West Bengal Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the largest bridge over the Teesta river, connecting Haldibari with the sub-divisional headquarters in Cooch Behar on Thursday. The bridge has been christened as ‘Joyee’ by the Chief Minister. This apart, an administrative meeting was also been conducted.

The State Government has already started setting up necessary infrastructure facilities and arrangements for the new citizens.

The State PWD has initiated a Rs.17- crore project for constructing 250 dwellings for the people who have decided to settle in India. The dwellings are being set up in Mekhligunj, Dinhata and Haldibari.

Among the new projects that were inaugurated today are the new building for the Panchanan Burma University, new colleges at Ghokshadanga and Nishiganj, HDUs and dialysis units at hospitals, a flood relief center, irrigation projects, boys and girls hostels, anaganwadi centers and a cold storage for a silk farm.

Among the numerous projects the Chief Minister laid foundation stone today, besides the ‘Joyee’ bridge, are drinking water supply projects, ICT centers in 88 schools, infrastructural upgradation for a truck terminus, irrigation projects, several Government office buildings, a market complex and yard, a flood relief center, fire service stations, road projects.

The Chief Minister also distributed aids and benefits like Kanyashree, Swami Vivekananda Swanirvar Karma Sangstan Scheme, Geetanjali, Nijo Griho Nijo Bhumi, Kisan Credit Card, credit cards for weavers and handicraft workers and many other such schemes

WB CM terms Chhitmahal exchange “historic and memorable”

On the eve of the much awaited transfer of chhitmahal enclaves between India and Bangladesh, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday described the day as “a historic and memorable” one.

“Today is a historic and memorable day,” Ms Banerjee wrote on social networking site Facebook.

“The much-awaited transfer of chhitmahal enclaves between India and Bangladesh will be effected from Friday midnight,” she added.

This June, India and Bangladesh ratified the Land Boundary Agreement that envisages the transfer of 111 enclaves with a total area of 17,160.63 acres to Bangladesh.

Under the agreement, Bangladesh will transfer 51 enclaves totalling 7,110.02 acres to India. There will be a 6.1 KM undefined border stretch demarcated.

The exchange of enclaves followed signing of an agreement in Dhaka by India and Bangladesh on June 6 this year.

Brothers and sisters of Chhit Mahal are free again: WB CM

The historic Land Boundary Agreement Treaty was signed between India and Bangladesh today at Dhaka in the august presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Indian Prime Minister.

On the historic occasion, WB CM flagged off bus services between Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala and Dhaka-Guwahati-Shillong, along with the Bangladesh Prime Minister and Indian PM.

Later, she posted on her Facebook and Twitter pages:

“স্বাধীনতার ৬৮ বছর পরে আমার ছিট্ মহলের ভাই বোনেরা নতুন করে স্বাধীন হল। সবাইকে জানাই অভিনন্দন 

68 years after independence, brothers and sisters of Chhitmahal have become free again. My best wishes to all.”

Mamata Banerjee gets warm welcome in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina extended a royal welcome to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as she arrived in Dhaka last night.

From the moment Ms Banerjee’s Air India Flight entered Bangladesh on Friday evening, it was declared a VIP plane. The pilot stepped out of the cockpit to announce he had just received instructions to that effect.

Soon after her arrival, PM Sheikh Hasina telephoned Ms Banerjee to welcome her and exchanged pleasantries.

Ms Banerjee is scheduled to participate in two functions – the flagging off of the Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus service and the signing of the Land Boundary Agreement.

Mamata Banerjee had visited Dhaka in February this year.

After landing in Dhaka, WB CM tweeted: