Bangla Govt embracing infotech: E-governance, fintech, AI, student competitions, cyber security

Bangla Govt embracing infotech: E-governance, fintech, AI, student competitions, cyber security

Posted on August 13, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Under the initiative of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the State Government has embraced the use of information technology wholeheartedly. Every Bangla Government office, be they in Kolkata or the districts, is either wholly computerised or in the process of being so. The Government is also encouraging students to work on software technologies to create apps and other useful technologies.

E-governance has been made the norm. As a result, work has become faster – both for the Government offices as well as for the public being served.

All information technology-based aspects of the State Government are handled by the Information Technology & Electronics Department. Thus the department is playing a leading role in the digitisation of governance.

A report published by the McKinsey Global Institute last January had stated that Kolkata is poised to emerge as one of the top Indian cities and one of the epicentres of global financial activities by 2030. According to the report, by virtue of its relative proximity to Singapore and Hong Kong, Kolkata stands a bright chance of becoming a big IT hub.

The department is investing in the latest aspects of information technology. It has formed a core group which will interact with various stakeholders and prepare a repository of case studies of projects involving artificial intelligence (AI). Such cases will be taken up which can be adapted by various departments of the State Government.

The IT&E Department is coming up with is a Centre of Innovation. In an effort to give fresh graduates rent-free space for churning out ideas and designing innovative models, the department is setting up a Centre of Innovation at the IT park being built in Bantala, Kolkata. The blueprint for the centre has already been prepared. It will be functional from this financial year, and will have top academicians, scientists and industry members as its mentors.

The department is also encouraging software-based solutions from students, technical professionals and common citizens, particularly for the day-to-day problems of common people. For the last two years (2017 and 2018), the department has been organising Bengalathon, a competition for the development of apps for day-to-day needs.

Another sector the IT&E Department is actively promoting is fintech (short for ’financial technology’). Fintech is an emerging industry that comprises companies which use digital technology to provide financial services. These companies are involved in digital payment, automatic digital banking, share market analytics, insurance predictions and asset management.

The State Government has taken a leading role in developing fintech. A fintech hub is coming up in New Town, with plug-and-play infrastructure. Several companies have already rented space. The department came up with a stellar show at the Singapore FinTech Festival, held last November.

The department has already started working on emerging technologies like cyber security, blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, animation, IoT (internet of things), Industry 4.0 (a standard), analytics, animation and e-sports. Summits are being held every month on different emerging technologies.

An important avenue of growth and safety that the State Government has identified is cyber security. It has set up a Cyber Security Centre of Excellence in order to successfully confront cyber crimes.

The cyber security centre collects, analyses and disseminates information on cyber security incidents, executes emergency measures, coordinates response, and issues guidelines, advisories and vulnerability notes. It also acts as a monitoring authority for the State, which looks at every single incident and incorporates the information for research and development.

Harnessing technology in the best possible way tops the Bangla Government’s priorities, and the above measures provide ample proof of that.

IT sector growing rapidly in Bangla

Posted on August 13, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The information technology (IT) sector in Bangla is growing at a fast pace. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, there has been a lot of growth in the sector, and the Information Technology & Electronics Department is the department driving this growth.

Almost 80% overall growth in IT business: The State now has a presence of about 894 IT companies, up from nearly 500 in 2010-11, showing a rise of almost 80 per cent in the IT business.

Many of the leading IT software companies are operating and expanding their facilities in the State at the moment.

The vision: The vision of the State Government, as described in its ICT Policy 2012, is to become one of the leading States in India in the IT and ITeS, and ESDM sectors and to enable Bangla to transform into a knowledge-driven welfare society.

67 per cent growth in employment: From the financial year (FY) 2010-11 figure of 90,000, the IT sector today employs more than 1,50,000 IT professionals – a growth of about 67 per cent. The projected figure for employment for FY 2018-19 is at least 1.8 lakh, of which almost 50,000 will be covered through the IT parks developed by the State Government.

Almost 150 per cent growth in export: The total export by the IT industry of the State was Rs 21,000 crore during FY 2017-18, compared to Rs 8,500 crore during 2010-11, showing a growth of about 150 per cent in seven years.

Consider Bangla your home: Mamata Banerjee at Silicon valley hub foundation laying ceremony

Posted on August 13, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone of Bangla Silicon Valley hub today. It will be located in Newtown.

This information technology (IT) industry hub has been conceived on the lines of the famous Silicon Valley in USA, and hence the name.

The hub commands a huge 100-acre vista, where national and international IT and IT-enabled service companies are expected to create numerous jobs for people from Bangla. It will also act as a centre of excellence for the IT industry, and will attract some of the biggest names of the world.

Highlights of the Chief Minister’s speech:

The GDP growth rate of Bangla is 9.15%. We are very much ahead. Even if you see the GVA growth rate – India is 6.5% and Bengal is 9.59%.

Industry sector – India 5.54% and Bengal 16.29% (3 times more). Service sector growth for India is 8.30% and Bengal is growing at 15.61%. In the agriculture sector, India’s growth rate is 2.10% and for Bengal it is 2.28%

Unemployment is a big problem in India. You will be happy to know, as per a report of the Union Ministry of Labour, Bengal’s unemployment has reduced by 40%. The credit must go to my industry friends, small industries, unorganised sector as well as the IT industry.

Sometimes I feel bad that the IT industry is mainly based in Bangalore and Hyderabad. Of course the infrastructure was better there. At that time we were not in power.

We do not believe in coming to power for the love of chair. We believe in power to take care.

Bangalore and Hyderabad have become congested. I urge you to come to Bengal. You will get more talented people. If you invest in Bengal, those who are currently working elsewhere will also come back here.

Our young generation is working across the world. They are very dedicated, devoted, determined and sincere. They need respect, not money. I believe they can deliver any job, better than anybody else.

It was my challenge that we have to conquer the world. That’s why we have started the Silicon Valley hub today. If America has a Silicon Valley, Bangla also will have a second Silicon Valley.

We have 100 acres of land available. Set up your IT industry here. If you require more, I will ask the authorities to keep another 100 acres ready. Whatever we can, we will try our best.

Bangla is the gateway to north east India. You can set up your industry in Darjeeling also. Bangla is also the gateway to Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha are our adjacent states. We are only 3 hours away from Singapore. Bangkok is also 2 hours away.

If you invest here, you can tap into the potential of young students. We can give you more productivity, talent, researchers. I am proud to say, everywhere in the world, you will find a Bengali.

This is your State also. Treat this as your home. Nurture this as your baby. The asset is your working capital. I assure all cooperation from State Government. Consider us as your sweet family.

Fisheries sector infrastructure improves under Trinamool

Posted on July 10, 2018 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

The State Fisheries Department has endeavoured to give every manner of infrastructural help to fishermen, including fish research facilities to increase yield and to experiment on newer and more profitable species.

Storage infrastructure: As part of the ‘cold chain scheme’, the department has been sanctioned money for the construction of cold storages and, through the distribution of bicycles with insulated boxes, the development of transit and terminal markets, including retail outlets. Eight cold storages and six ice plants have been constructed.

Khuti societies: The State Government provides financial aid for the development of khuti societies, that is, fish drying centres. A total of 53 khuti societies in Contai and Diamond Harbour benefit from this aid. Considering essential aspects, the aid includes money for the operation and maintenance of the khutis or fish drying centres, including wages for khuti attendants and sweepers, development of khuti infrastructure like link roads, submersible pumps, solar lights, fish-drying platforms and bamboo structures, supply of hygienic materials and small equipments, and the repair of tube-wells.

Fishing harbours and fish landing centres: Under the department, there are seven minor fishing harbours and 13 fish landing centres. The entry channel at Kakdwip Harbour has been completed. Benfish has constructed modernised fish markets in Kalyani (Nadia district), Bolpur (Birbhum district), Uluberia (Howrah district) and Gangarampur (Dakshin Dinajpur district). Five fish landing centres have been recently constructed benefiting 8,700 fishermen in Indrapur, Satyadaspur, Kantamari, Raidighi/Domkal, Kheyaghat and Namkhana in South 24 Parganas.

Hatchery accreditation: Nineteen hatcheries have been constructed to ensure production of quality fish seed, and 231 hatcheries have been accredited.

Fish markets: Ten fish markets have been constructed – fish seed markets in Sinhati (Bankura district) and Rajendrapur (North 24 Parganas), wholesale and retail fish markets in Haldibari (Cooch Behar), Bolpur (Birbhum), Kalyani (Nadia), Fuleshwar (Howrah) and Udayrampur (South 24 Parganas), Nalban International Ornamental Fish Market, Kantamari (South 24 Parganas) and Jharkhali (South 24 Parganas) markets. Besides these, the upgrading of the wholesale fish market in Howrah is in progress.

Fish research centres: The department is setting up block-level laboratory-cum-training centres for testing water and soil of water bodies to determine suitability for pisciculture. So far 308 have been built; another 25 have been sanctioned. Research on fish and fisheries is being conducted at Pailan Research Centre in South 24 Parganas. At the Fresh Water Research Centre in Kulia near Kalyani in Nadia district, research is being carried out on production of seeds of freshwater fish, including endangered species, ornamental or aquarium fish, etc. The latter has a high export value. Rural women are being trained on ornamental fishery.

Hilsa production & research: To combat the issue of the decline in the catch of hilsa over the past decade, a dedicated Hilsa Conservation and Research Centre (HCRC) has been established at Sultanpur, Diamond Harbour, in collaboration with the Norwegian research institute, Norwegian Institute of Food Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (NOFIMA).

Brackish water fishery: The Government provides substantial aid for increasing the production of fish in regions of brackish water, mainly found in the Sundarbans delta.

The above facts prove that the Trinamool Congress Government is committed to the all-round development of the fisheries sector.