WB CM unveils several projects for Hooghly district

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on a visit to Hooghly district today, flagged off Sabuj Sathi scheme for the district.

She addressed a public meeting at Arambagh, where she inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for a bouquet of projects including the renovated and modernised fifth unit of Bandel Thermal Power Plant.

The projects WB CM inaugurated today include road projects, water supply projects, several health care projects, new buses for the districts, Pather Sathi motels, bridges, hostels for boys and girls.

The West Bengal Chief Minister also laid the foundation stones for road and irrigation projects, renovation of administrative buildings, minority hostels, godowns among other things.

The CM also distributed several services including Kanyashree, Yuvashree, Sikshashree, equipment to fishermen, Kisan and artisan credit cards, different agricultural machineries and equipment, pattas, financial assistance for natural disasters and a host of other such services.

Highlights of WB CM’s speech:

• Singur, in Hooghly district showed the way to the country. It was followed by Nandigram and Netai movements.

• I am proud to say I sat on 26-day anshan during the Singur movement. We have always protected the rights of farmers.

• We have been able to provide govt services and benefits to 71% residents in Hooghly district.

• The fifth unit of Bandel Thermal Power Plant has been inaugurated today. It is a new feather in Hooghly’s cap.

• By the next fiscal year every household in Hooghly district will be electrified.

• Earlier people said “Loadshedding er sarkar aar nai dorkar”. Now they say “tomar (loadshedding) dekha nai”.

• Bengal now has a power bank. We dedicate our achievements to Maa, Mati, Manush of Bengal.

• Earlier only foundation stones were laid, which would wither away. Now all promises are fulfilled.

• Two new ITIs are coming up in Hooghly district. A new polytechnic college is also coming up.

• We are giving healthcare for free at govt hospitals, from medicines to beds. It is our responsibility to work for the poor.

• We have ensured guarantee of healthcare for people. Two multi super speciality hospitals are coming up in Hooghly district.

• Six fair price medicine shops have come up in Hooghly district that provide up to 70% discount on prices of medicines.

• A new dialysis unit, CT Scan, Digital X Ray units have come up at Hooghly Sadar Hospital.

• We have set up several fair price diagnostic centres. Dialysis is performed for only Rs 500 at these centres.

• We have set up 36 new Critical Care Units in the State.

• We want people to lead their lives satisfactorily. Honoured to work for people. All developmental works are dedicated to people.

• Over 3 lakh people have called Kisan Credit Cards. Krishak Bazaars are coming up across the State.

• Those who did not work for farmers for 34 years are shedding crocodile tears for them now.

• Centre has not given a penny to Bengal after the massive floods.

• Chennai got central funds for floods within a week. Bengal is still waiting for funds. Are lives in Bengal less precious?

• We are procuring paddy at fair price. We are setting up 176 Krishak Bazaars to protect the rights of farmers.

• 45 new colleges have up in the last 4 years. Till 2011 there were only 31 govt colleges in the State.

• A major share of revenues are taken away by Centre for repaying the debt incurred by Left Front Govt.

• We increased our revenue to Rs 40000 Cr. But Centre takes away Rs 28000 Cr for repaying CPM’s debts. Where will we get funds?

• We have ensured state govt employees and teachers get their salaries on the first day of every month.

• When I was Railway Minister I allotted two railway factories at Dankuni.

• We are allotting funds for bettering the infrastructure at Jairambati and Kamarpukur. They are heritage places.

• We will set up a tourist shelter at Furfura Sharif.

• I attend Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Chhat Puja, Jagadhatri Puja as well as Eid and Christmas.

• Prafulla Da (Prafulla Sen, former WB CM) cared for me a lot. He was known as Arambagh’s Gandhi.

• 3 out of top 4 districts in India under Swachh Bharat are from Bengal. Hooghly is among them.

• Some people only advertise and talk about Swachh Bharat. Bengal leads the way through action.

• The Centre is not giving funds for schemes like ICDS, Sarva Siksha Mission etc.

• If Centre did not take away Rs 28000 Cr from our treasury, we could have done much more for people.

• We have introduced 17% reservation for OBCs without affecting General category by developing infrastructure.

• A new road parallel to NH 34 will come up. State Govt is paying for this project worth Rs 3000 Cr.

• Several bridges are coming up in this district that will benefit people of Hooghly as well as adjoining districts.

• A new Pather Sathi motel has come up in this district. We have undertaken several water supply projects in Hooghly district.

• We are developing eco tourism at Sabuj Dweep modeled after Eco Park in Kolkata.

• We are giving benefits to folk artists under Lok Prasar Prokolpo.

• The good work we are doing is not publicized. Few media houses and Opposition are spreading canards against our government.

• A true government of the people views public purpose more importantly than political purpose.

• Sabuj Sathi scheme is my dream. 40 lakh students studying in classes 9-12 will get cycles.

• Our Govt will distribute test papers for Madhyamik for free to students. We want everyone to learn and prosper.

• The students and youth will take Bengal forward. They are our assets, they are our future.

• Maa, Mother, Ammi are all one and the same. There cannot be any discrimination between mothers.

• Land where Ramakrishna, Sarada Maa, Vivekananda, Rabindranath, Nazrul, Khudiram, Matangini belong to is holy land, purer than gold.

• You could not do anything for 34 years. We are working for people, do not pose any hurdles.

Surge of development in Nadia district

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who visited Nadia district today, launched several projects for the people of the district.

She addressed a public meeting at Tehatta, where she inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for a bouquet of projects.

The projects WB CM inaugurated today include road projects, water suppy projects, several health care projects including multi super speciality hospitals for Nayagram and Barjora, new buses for the districts, administrative buildings, bridges, new equipment and godown for sericulture institute among others.

The West Bengal Chief Minister laid the foundation stones for road and irrigation projects, renovation of administrative buildings, a mini indoor stadium, godowns among other things.

The CM also distributed several services including cycles to students under Sabuj Sathi scheme,benefits under Tant Sathi scheme, Kanyashree, Yuvashree, Sikshashree, equipments to fishermen, Kisan and artisan credit cards, different agricultural machineries and equipments, pattas, saplings and a host of other such services.

Bengal Govt seeks support from World Bank to provide vocational training for Kanyashrees

Rejuvenated by the success of the Kanyashree Prakalpa, on being shortlisted among the best projects in public administration by the United Nations (2014-15), the West Bengal Government is taking a step forward to empower girls beyond the ambit of formal education.T he scheme envisages providing basic education through open schooling, skill development and livelihood support to school drop outs.

The Government is seeking technical and fund support from World Bank for introducing what it calls Kanyashree Plus from 2016-17. Women and Child development and Social Welfare department officials have already had discussions with the World Bank authorities. The five-year scheme ending in 2019-20 aims at including another 1.3 million girls in the list of beneficiaries, over and above the existing 2.5 million girls covered under the existing Kanyashree project.

While the existing project offers annual scholarship to unmarried school girls between Class VIII and Class XII followed by a one-time grant of Rs 18,000 soon after they attain 18 years, the Kanyashree Plus scheme eyes on those who are not enrolled in schools. The purpose is to include them in the education system through open schooling and vocational training, deliver life skills and also facilitate economic empowerment.

The state government also wants to introduce merit-based scholarship for Kanyashree beneficiaries opting for higher education. It also proposes tie-ups with industrial training institutes to offer vocational courses to school pass outs.

The government wants the World Bank fund support to bear the additional financial liability apart from the budgetary allocations for the existing Kanyasharee project.

The women and child development and social welfare department is looking up to the Bank for leveraging resources in terms of training and entering into contracts with nationally acclaimed placement agencies for cementing the future of the girls.

The state government wants the Kanyashree Plus scheme to improve the status of women in Bengal.

After checking the number of school dropouts among girls and restricting child marriage through Kanyashree prakalpo, now it is the time to equip the girls for life. Hence Kanyashree Plus prakalpo will be soon announced.

Through the project the state government will try to ensure onward study of the girls after they attain 18 years of age. They will be imparted skill development courses, will undergo counseling and will be given placement opportunities. At the moment there is no plan to offer scholarships. The financial details are being worked out.

Mamata Banerjee visits ailing tribal lady in Bankura village

West Bengal Chief Minister on Friday visited an ailing tribal lady in a remote village in Bankura district. The Chief Minister is currently on a tour of Jangalmahal.

Breaking protocol and deviating from her schedule, Mamata Banerjee – fondly called Didi – stopped her car midway and went to meet this tribal family.

The Chief Minister inquired about their well-being and wanted to know if they are getting rice at subsidised rates. She also asked if they received green ration cards.

In a freewheeling chat, she inquired about the lunch being prepared at the house. She also asked accompanying officials to renovate the house the family lived in.

Such ‘detours’ exemplify how despite occupying high office, Didi is grounded and humane.

Surge of development in Jangalmahal will continue: WB CM at Bankura

West Bengal Chief Minister today flagged off the ‘Sabuj Sathi’ scheme for Bankura district at Khatra. She also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 81 projects and schemes today.

Currently on a tour of Jangalmahal, the Chief Minister had visited Jhargram and Gopiballavpur earlier this week.

On her last day of Jangalmahal visit today, the Chief Minister inaugurated a slew of projects including Tarapith Police Station, Sabuj Dweep Eco Tourism Park, fair price medicine shops, parks, hostels for boys and girls, rickshaw stands, ambulances, roads, godowns, irrigation projects, administrative building at Simplipal police station among other things.

She also laid the foundation stone for over 20 other projects from the venue of her public meeting.

The Chief Minister also distributed cycles under Sabuj Sathi scheme and gave away certificates for Kanyashree, Yuvashree and other schemes. She also distributed land pattas, dhamsa and madol, power tillers, identity cards for folk artists, machines and equipment for farmers and artisans and slew of other benefits.

 

Excerpts of Chief Minister’s speech:

 

  • Jangalmahal is close to my heart. I love the Laal Mati (red soil). The bag I carry with me is named ‘Jangalmahal’
  • Centre has stopped giving funds for development in Jangalmahal. But we will continue the development initiatives with State funds
  • In 2013 I had announced a new university will come up in Bankura. Classes have began already
  • Earlier only foundation stones were laid and no work was done. Ichhe thaklei kaaj hoye (where there is a will, there is a way)
  • We have started the system of self-attestation in 43 cases. We have removed the system of affidavit in 31 cases
  • Thirteen new universities have been started in the last four years. We started 45 new colleges in 4 years
  • 45 new ITIs, 45 new polytechnic colleges have been set up. 130 new ITIs and 31 new polytechnic colleges are coming up
  • We believe in ‘Health For All’. We set up fair price medicine shops that provide up to 65% discount. Medicines and beds at govt hospitals are free
  • We have set up fair price diagnostic centres. Procedures like MRI, dialysis, CT Scan are offered at low cost
  • We have set up 32 critical care units, 10 High Dependency Units. We have developed ‘Breast Milk Bank’ named Madhur Sneho
  • There were no SNSUs in Bengal.We set up 301 such units. There were 6 SNCUs till 2011. Now there are 46 such units
  • There were only 1300 medical seats in Bengal till 2011. In last four years the number increased to 2900
  • New medical colleges are coming up in Bankura. New doctors will come up from the present generation
  • Four multi super speciality hospitals will be set up in Bankura district alone. 20-25 hospitals will be ready in 6 months
  • 69 lakh people have received Kisan Credit Cards. 32 lakh students have received scholarships
  • Onion is being cultivated in Bankura, where the soil condition was not conducive, through experiment
  • 3.2 crore people in Bengal receive rice at Rs 2/kilo. Soon more people will be given rice at Rs 3/kilo
  • We have started a social security scheme for kendu leaf collectors
  • We are setting up 500 Karma Tirtha marketing hubs across the State, 12 of which will be in Bankura
  • We have created reservation for OBCs and minorities without touching general seats. We created infrastructure for that
  • We have inaugurated a new police station at Tarapith today. We have started a new scheme called Jala Tirtha for water conservation
  • My govt is that of people. I work for the people. Bengal will shine in the world. We will become Biswa Bangla one day

 

 

WB CM plants seeds for a Neem forest

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday inaugurated the Neem Banani Programme – an initiative to grow a neem forest – at Gopiballavpur in Jhargram, West Midnapore.

The PC Chandra Group is partnering the state in the project and committed to provide 1 lakh neem saplings.

It has already handed 35,000 neem saplings to the forest department for plantations at Alipurduar, Goal tore, Bagnan, Kalyani, Jharkhali and Kolkata (Eco Park in New Town) in JulyAugust this year. The balance saplings will be handed over to the forest department next year.

The neem forestry project aims to cleanse and rejuvenate the environment by reaping the benefits of the wonder tree whose medicinal and environmental benefits are well documented.

There can be no politics over development: WB CM in Jangalmahal

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee today said that in a democracy there can be no politics without people and it was her social responsibility to work for them. She was addressing a public rally at Gopiballavpur in West Midnapore district.

After inaugurating a bouquet of projects at the venue, the Chief Minister highlighted the various schemes started by her in the past four years. She said that the GSDP growth of Bengal was higher than the national average. Despite paying off crores of rupees as installments for debt incurred by the CPM, a lot of new roads, schools, colleges were built, she maintained.

“We have started 13 new universities in four years. Polytechnic colleges are coming up in every sub-division. We started fair price medicine shops. Beds are given for free in Bengal hospitals. We have started setting up fair price diagnostic centres. Poor people can now afford MRI, CT scans, dialysis,” she said.

“We have set up critical care units across districts and sub-division. Poor people get healthcare for free. We have started a Mother and Child Hub. We started a Breast Milk Bank, Cord Blood Bank. We started Shishu Sathi scheme. Surgeries for cardiac problems in kids are performed for free,” she added.

The Chief Minister said that land and forest pattas have been distributed to over 3 lakh people in the State. 3.2 crore people out of 9 crore people in Bengal get rice at Rs 2/kg, despite lack of funds from Centre, she added.

“From agriculture to schools & colleges, Karma Tirtha to tourism, we are working for all round development. I do not believe in politics. I work for Maa, Mati, Manush. We are all Paschim Banga parivar,” Mamata Banerjee said.

WB CM launches Sabooj Sathi project at Gopiballavpur

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, currently on a visit to Jangalmahal, today launched the Sabooj Sathi project. She inaugurated a project of Neem plantation from Gopiballavpur in West Midnapore district.

The West Bengal Chief Minister held a review meeting for the developmental works in the district and later during a public meeting at Chhatinashol, at 2 PM, she inaugurated and laid foundation stones for a bouquet of projects.

The projects WB CM inaugurated today include water supply projects, boys’ hostels, girls’ hostels, flood relief centres, Krishak Bazaars, road projects and irrigation projects among others.

The West Bengal Chief Minister also laid foundation stones for water supply projects, a marketing hub cum training centre, several government buildings, a GNM training centre and a girls’ hostel at Jhargram hospital among other projects.

The CM also distributed several services including cycles to students under Sabuj Sathi, Kanyashree, Yuvashree, Sikshashree, equipments to fishermen, Kisan and artisan credit cards, different agricultural machineries and equipments, pattas, saplings and a host of other such services.

Bengal shines at SKOCH Awards for smart governance

Fair Price Medicine Shops and CCU in districts of West Bengal have been ranked best project in the country in the health sector and were honoured with the prestigious SKOCH Award of Excellence.

Also, Bengal is on the top spot nationally in Finance and amongst the top three states in Agriculture and Rural Development and Governance.

Kanyashree, e-Governance project of KMC, web-based integrated monitoring system of panchayat bodies and GRIPS of the Directorate of Commercial Taxes are also among the winners.

Overall, the award authorities have adjudged Bengal as the state with maximum improvement in performance during last one year.

Reacting to the honour for Bengal in various sectors, West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee wrote on her social media pages: “Hearty congratulations and best wishes to my entire ‘Paschimbanga Paribar’.”

UNICEF and WB Govt to jointly work for adolescent kids

The United Nations Children’s Educational Fund or UNICEF and West Bengal Government will jointly launch a programme for the welfare of kids attaining puberty.

With an aim of making Kolkata more hospitable for adolescents, a meeting was organised by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation in the presence of representatives of UNICEF, State Women and Child Welfare Minister Dr Shashi Panja, Mayor Sovan Chatterjee and other officials.

West Bengal Government, UNICEF and KMC will jointly work for the adolescent kids in slum areas with a focus on children who have dropped out of school or fell prey to trafficking. A pilot project will be launched in Ward No. 26 of KMC area.

Awareness drives for Bengal government’s flagship schemes like Kanyashree and Shishu Sathi will also be conducted. Government will conduct surveys to ensure common people are getting benefits of the schemes, the Minister said.

Chief Field Office of UNICEF in West Bengal, Ashadur Rahman feels that the impact of Kanyashree has been huge at the grassroots. He suggested that Bengal’s successful ‘Kanyashree’ scheme for the empowerment of girl child should be followed as an example by rest of the states in India.