INTTUC stages protest over disinvestment of 42 state-owned companies by the Centre at Alloy Steel, Durgapur

Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress has taken up the issue of disinvestment of 42 state-owned companies by the Centre, including Bengal’s Alloy Steel Plants, Durgapur. A protest rally and protest meeting was held at Durgapur on July 13.

The centre has decided to disinvest 42 state-owned companies including the BSNL, five airports, Alloy Steel Plant in Durgapur and Chittaranjan Locomotive.

Here are some pictures:

Protest Rally at Durgapur – 1

Protest Meeting at Durgapur – 1

Protest Meeting at Durgapur – 2

Protest Rally at Durgapur – 2

New bus routes in Jangalmahal

To make the public transport system in Jangalmahal more robust, the State Transport Department has decided to introduce new bus routes in the region. This was announced by the Transport Minister in the Assembly on July 25.

From August, 15 new routes will come into existence, on which 22 buses will ply.

New routes are also being introduced in the districts of Murshidabad and Nadia. Besides, shuttle night bus services will be introduced in Durgapur, Haldia, Kharagpur, and from New Jalpaiguri to Siliguri and Siliguri to Jalpaiguri. This comes after the success of the night bus service in Kolkata and its suburbs.

Some other crucial information the minister gave were that currently, around 3,200 State-run buses, equipped with modern facilities like GPS system and panic button, ply across Bengal, the number of air-conditioned buses has been increased, and that the Government was giving stress environment-friendly modes like electric buses and CNG buses.

Source: Millennium Post

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20 more CNG buses for south Bengal

The State Environment Department has decided to introduce 20 more CNG buses in the districts of south Bengal. It will be fully funding the project.

CNG or compressed natural gas is a non-polluting fuel and hence does not adversely impact the environment.

The Transport Department has a plan to operate CNG buses all over the state, a plan which will be implemented in phases.

Besides being environment-friendly, CNG buses have another major advantage: though the cost of a bus is more – around Rs 1 crore – the cost of maintenance is considerably less than conventional buses. The cost of fuel is also much cheaper too.

The Government had earlier introduced CNG buses in Asansol and Durgapur, wherea total of 30 such buses ply. Wherever they have been introduced, CNG services have become very popular as well.

With respect to promoting environment-friendly means of travel, the Transport Department has also been giving a lot of support for the promotion of electric and biogas-run vehicles. Electric buses are run in New Town, the model smart city of the State Government. Eighty more electric buses will be introduced in various places by August. Buses using compressed biogas (CBG), produced from cow dung, as fuel run on certain routes in Kolkata.

Source: Millennium Post

Seven more youth hostels coming up by March 2018

The Bengal Government’s Youth Services and Sports Department has set a target of building seven new youth hostels by March 2018. In each of the youth hostels, there will be accommodation for at least 100 people.

Two youth hostels in Jalpaiguri (in Metali) and Bishnupur are ready to become operational. One each is coming up in the Ayodhya Hills and the Jaichandi Hills in Purulia district. The four others are coming up in Cooch Behar, Nabadwip, Malda and Durgapur.

Regarding the ones in the Ayodhya and the Jaichandi Hills, it may be mentioned that the footfalls of visitors in these places have gone up as a result of the steps taken by the Trinamool Congress Government to improve the basic infrastructure of Purulia district. Moreover, the number of youths visiting the place for trekking and adventure sports has also gone up. As a result, the demand for better accommodation has also gone up. Plans are already afoot for enabling locals to open homestays.

It may be mentioned that at present, a total of 19 youth hostels of the State Government are functional, while the government has a plan to set up a total of 40. The construction of 21 youth hostels, including in Balurghat, Jayanti and Gajoldoba, has also begun.

With the setting up of the youth hostels, young single travellers will no longer face problems in getting quality accommodation when they visit any part of the state for excursion or activities like trekking and adventure sports.

২০১৮ সালের মার্চ মাসের মধ্যে রাজ্যে আরও নতুন ৭টি যুব হোস্টেল

২০১৮ সালের মার্চ মাসের মধ্যে আরও ৭টি যুব হোস্টেল নির্মাণ করার সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছে রাজ্য যুব কল্যাণ ও ক্রীড়া দপ্তর। প্রতিটি হোস্টেলে অন্তত ১০০ জন থাকতে পারবে।

জলপাইগুড়ির মেটেলিতে ও বিষ্ণুপুরের দুটি যুব হাসপাতাল তৈরী হয়ে গেছে। পুরুলিয়া জেলার অযোধ্যা পাহাড়ে ও জয়চন্ডী পাহাড়ে দুটি হোস্টেল তৈরী হচ্ছে। বাকি ৪টি হোস্টেল তৈরী হবে কোচবিহার, নবদ্বীপ, মালদা ও দুর্গাপুরে।

তৃণমূল সরকার পুরুলিয়া জেলার যে অভূতপূর্ব উন্নয়ন করেছে, তার ফলে এই অঞ্চলে এখন পর্যটকদের সংখ্যা বেড়ে চলেছে। এছাড়া এই অঞ্চলে ট্রেকিং ও অ্যাডভেঞ্চার স্পোর্টসের জন্য কমবয়সী যুবাদের আনাগোনা লেগেই আছে। এর ফলে ওখানে থাকার ভালো জায়গায় চাহিদা বেড়েছে। ওখানে হোম-স্টের ব্যবস্থাও করা হচ্ছে।

এই মুহূর্তে রাজ্যে ১৯টি যুব হোস্টেল আছে। রাজ্য সরকার এই সংখ্যা বাড়িয়ে ৪০ করতে চায়। বাকি ২১টি হোস্টেলের মধ্যে বালুরঘাট, জয়ন্তী, গাজলডোবা যুব হোস্টেলের নির্মাণ কাজ শুরু হয়ে গেছে।

এই যুব হোস্টেলগুলি তৈরী হলে, যেসকল পর্যটক একা ওইসব অঞ্চলে যাবে, তাদের ভালো থাকার জায়গা খুঁজতে অসুবিধায় পড়তে হবে না।
Source: Millennium Post

Bengal Govt to set up new jewellery park for 25,000 demonetisation-hit gold artisans

The humane nature of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was once again prominent with her intention to working out an alternative plan for workers who have lost their jobs due to demonetisation. In an effort to create jobs for the gold artisans who have lost their jobs, the state is coming up with a new jewellery park — the third of its kind — beside Belgharia Expressway in Howrah.

The West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC), has come up with a new plan to develop a jewellery park on an eight-acre plot beside Belgharia Expressway. The Bengal Chief Minister has asked WBIDC officials to submit a detailed report on the project at the earliest. The place has road links to Kolkata, Howrah, Kharagpur and Durgapur and is 12 km from the central business district. The airport is 22 km away from the proposed site.

After the implementing agency finalizes the plan, they will submit it before the cabinet. Once the approval is obtained, there is plan to complete construction within two years.

 

নোটবাতিলে ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত অলংকার কারিগরদের জন্য নতুন জুয়েলারি পার্ক গড়তে চলেছে রাজ্য

নোটবাতিলের ফলে যারা কর্মহীন হয়েছেন তাদের জন্য একটি বিকল্প ব্যবস্থার পরিকল্পনা করছে রাজ্য সরকার। এর মাধ্যমে আবারও একবার বাংলার মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় পরিচালিত সরকারের মানবিক মুখ স্পষ্ট। যারা কর্মহীন হয়েছেন তাদের কর্মসংস্থানের জন্য হাওড়ার বেলঘরিয়া এক্সপ্রেসওয়ের পাশে একটি জুয়েলারি পার্ক তৈরি করা হচ্ছে।

পশ্চিমবঙ্গ শিল্প উন্নয়ন কর্পোরেশন এই জুয়েলারি পার্ক তৈরির পরিকল্পনা করেছে। বেলঘরিয়া এক্সপ্রেসওয়ের ওপর ৮ একর জমিতে এই পার্ক তৈরি হবে। কর্মকর্তাদের দ্রুত এই প্রকল্পের ওপর একটি প্রতিবেদন জমা করার নির্দেশ দিয়েছেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী। এখান থেকে কলকাতা, হাওড়া, খড়গপুর ও দুর্গাপুরের রাস্তার যোগাযোগ আছে। প্রস্তাবিত এই স্থানটি থেকে মাত্র ২২ কিমি দূরেই রয়েছে বিমানবন্দর।

রূপায়ণকারী সংস্থা এই পরিকল্পনা চূড়ান্ত করার পর তা মন্ত্রিসভার সামনে পেশ করা হবে। একবার অনুমোদন পেয়ে গেলে, দু-বছরের মধ্যে নির্মাণ কাজ সম্পূর্ণ করার পরিকল্পনা রয়েছে।

 

 

Bengal promotes green transport in Asansol-Durgapur area

The state environment department has taken up an initiative to run CNG run vehicles in Asansol-Durgapur area. Easy availability of CNG in the region has prompted the state government to introduce the environment friendly transport in the industrial and trading hubs.

The change from the present system of running the public transport system will be implemented in phases. In the first phase 500 state run buses will be asked to convert into CNG. Apart from this fleet of South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) run buses, the state will ask at least 2000 auto rickshaw operators in the Durgapur-Asansol area to opt for CNG, state environment minister Sovan Chatterjee said.

If the experiment in this region bears fruit, the same will be offered as an option for Kolkata and its adjoining areas, Chatterjee said. The state environment department will give Rs 5 crore to the state transport department for the conversion.

Easy availability of Coal bed methane gas which is a variant of CNG has made the conversion possible in the area. There are two private firms which are producing the natural gas in the region. This makes the conversion easy for us,” the minister said.

 

যৌথ উদ্যোগে পরিবেশ বান্ধব যান এবার রাজ্যে

এসবিএসটিসি আর পরিবেশ দফতরের যৌথ উদ্যোগে এবার রাজ্যে নামছে পরিবেশ বান্ধব বাস ও অটো৷ ইতিমধ্যেই নতুন এই বাস, অটো চালু করার জন্য এসবিএসটিসি-কে পাঁচ কোটি টাকা দিয়েছে পরিবেশ দফতর৷

পরিবেশ মন্ত্রী শোভন চট্টোপাধ্যায় জানিয়েছেন, তৈরি হয়ে গিয়েছে ব্লু প্রিন্ট৷ দু’টি কোম্পানির সঙ্গে কথাও হয়ে গিয়েছে৷ যার মধ্যে সবুজ সঙ্কেতও দিয়েছে একটি কোম্পানি৷ কেমন হবে পরিবেশ বান্ধব যান? মূলত ন্যাচারাল গ্যাস বা সিএনজিতে চলবে এই বাস এবং অটো৷ এই সমস্ত যান বাহনে দূষণের পরিমাণও অনেক কম৷ কলকাতার রাস্তায় কাটা তেলের অটোর বদলে এখন যেমন সিএনজি গ্যাসের অটো চলছে একই কায়দায় চলবে এই ধরনের যানবাহন৷ প্রাথমিকভাবে ঠিক হয়েছে ২০০০ অটো ও ২৫টা বাস নামবে রাস্তায়৷ তবে এখুনি কলকাতার রাজপথে নয়, পরীক্ষামূলকভাবে প্রথমে আসানসোল, দুর্গাপুরেই চলবে এই পরিবেশ বান্ধব বাস ও অটো৷

পরিবেশ মন্ত্রী শোভন চট্টোপাধ্যায় বলেছেন, “দীর্ঘদিন ধরেই রাজ্যে পরিবেশ দূষণ রোধ করার কথা ভাবছে রাজ্য সরকার৷ তারই ফলশ্রুতি হিসাবে চালু হচ্ছে এই পরিবেশ বান্ধব যান৷” ‘এসার’ আর ‘জিইসিএল’ নামে দু’টি প্রাকৃতিক গ্যাসের কোম্পানির সঙ্গে কথা হয়েছে৷ আপাতত দুর্গাপুর, আসানসোলে চললেও পরবর্তীকালে কলকাতার রাজপথেও এই ধরনের যানবাহন চালানোর কথা ভাবছে রাজ্য সরকার৷

Mumtaz Sanghamita speaks during Question Hour in Lok Sabha on investment in development of airport/airstrips

Madam, when Indian Airlines was operative, there were many flights for regional connectivity, for example, there were flights on the routes Kolkata to Ranchi, Kolkata to Patna, Kolkata to Jaipur and others. But after Air India and Indian Airlines were merged, these services were all stopped. On the other hand, Indigo and other private airlines are running flights on these routes, sometimes even twice a day.

Why has Air India stopped its flights to and from the newly-built Andal airport? Although it has been said that it will not be cost-effective, that is not the case. I believe that flights from Delhi to Durgapur to Kolkata are really needed.

Flight to Delhi starts from Andal, WB CM among the first passengers

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee today left for for Delhi by taking the first ever flight from Andal to the national capital.

The Chief Minister reached Durgapur today at around 2 PM and held a meeting with the business delegation from the Asansol-Durgapur region and representatives of the Chamber of Commerce.

“My best wishes to everyone. Flights for Delhi will commence from Andal today. This move will help people in south Bengal as well as neighbouring areas in Jharkhand. Travelling to Delhi will be hassle-free now,” she said.

The Chief Minister is expected to meet the Prime Minister on Tuesday and will reiterate the demands of the State before him. The State has still been denied of its previously allotted funds as well as the promised aid for the flood situation, from the Centre.

The Andal Airport is one of the greatest achievements of the Trinamool Government as it connects the industrial zone with the rest of the country.

The West Bengal Chief Minister is expected to visit the Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party Office and may pay a visit to the Parliament Central Hall as well.

CII inks pact with WB Govt to develop smart cities

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Friday sealed an agreement with the West Bengal government to build four smart cities in the state.

Dr Saugat Mukherjee, regional director, CII Eastern Region, and Sutanu Prasad Kar, mission director, Smart Cities Mission of West Bengal, signed the MoU during a Roundtable on CII National Mission on Smart Cities.

As per the agreement, CII will work with the state’s urban development department and other stakeholders in developing the vision, setting goals and charting strategies on how to transform Bidhan Nagar, New Town-Rajarhat, Haldia and Durgapur, the four urban locations in West Bengal, into world-class smart cities.

CII will also collaborate with the state government in terms of mobilising industry expertise and resources, the release said.

Top municipal and state government officials and senior executives from various companies took part.

Bengal cabinet clears deck for developing six theme cities

West Bengal cabinet on Friday cleared the deck for developing six modern cities in the state.

Speaking to the press after the cabinet meeting, state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim said the location for six modern cities had already been finalised. The Cabinet had even named all the six proposed cities according to choice and importance of the place, he said adding they would have modern facilities for decent living.

Naming the theme cities

Speaking about the smart cities, Hakim said one would come up over 85 acres at Dabgram near Siliguri and would be called ‘Teesta’ after the name of a major river in north Bengal. Another city would come up near Bolpur in Birbhum district over 127 acres and christened ‘Gitabitan’ after a popular compilation of songs by Rabindranath Tagore.

A third city over 50 acres would come up near the twin industrial towns of Asansol-Durgapur covering Churulia, birth place of the poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. It would be named ‘Agnibina’, after the name of a collection of poems by the rebel poet. One more city would come up near Kalyani, developed by erstwhile chief minister Bidhan Chandra Roy, in Nadia district over 50 acres and would be known as ‘Samriddhi’.

Another city, which is yet to be named, would come up at Dumurjala in neighbouring Howrah district over 50 acres. The sixth smart city would come up at Baruipur in the southern outskirt of the metropolis over 86 acres and would be named after the famed Bengal matinee idol Uttam Kumar, the minister said.

Allotment of land

In all cases the state government has adequate land and would be developed by the state urban development department, Hakim said. Besides, the state government would also develop some thematic private township over land within ceiling at different places in the state.

The themes could range from knowledge, sports and IT and the townships would be developed by various wings of the department like HIDCO and KMDA, he said.

Hakim hoped that the projects would bring in huge investment and create a lot of employment opportunity. In all cases there would be 25 per cent reservations for the economically weaker sections.