Bangla Govt gives due honour to ‘Bhasha Shahids’

Bangla Govt gives due honour to ‘Bhasha Shahids’

Posted on February 20, 2019 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

The Bangla Government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has always given due respect to the language martyrs, or ‘Bhasha Shahids’, of February 21, 1952.

Every year on this day Mamata Banerjee attends the wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial, Bhasha Shahid Smarak, located on the Maidan, opposite MP Birla Planetarium in Kolkata. It was inaugurated by her on February 19, 2016.

The memorial comprises of a statue of a beautiful young woman with long braided hair, holding a dead man on her lap. The woman symbolises ‘Mother Language’ and the dead man, the martyrs who gave their lives for the cause of their language on that terrible day in Dhaka.

Various cultural programmes take place throughout the day, in Kolkata and in cities and towns across the State, organised by the authorities and the party.

Another memorial constructed in 2014 called Bhasa Smriti Mancha is located at Deshapriya Park. Various events take place here too.

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Ready to lay down my life for the country: Mamata Banerjee

Posted on February 13, 2019 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Bangla Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today addressed the ‘Tanashahi Hatao, Desh Bachao’ Satyagraha at Jantar Mantar, organised by the Aam Aadmi Party.

In her speech she called Narendra Modi and Amit Shah “two Gabbars” and said she was not afraid of their intimidation tactics. She also said that she was ready to lay down her life to save the country.

Earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee had visited the Parliament. There she prayed in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi to save the Indian Constitution and Indian Democracy.

Highlights of the Chief Minister’s speech:

We will organise a bigger meeting at Ramlila Maidan after Modi is defeated.

Several leaders have already spoken. I will not repeat what they said.

Today was the last day of Parliament. In a few days elections will be declared and model code of conduct will come into effect. Their expiry date is over. Then he will not be able to do what he pleases.

They can scare us, beat us up, burn our houses, cause riots, sell the country only for 20 days. Jo darte hain, woh marte hain. Jo ladte hain, woh jeet te hain. Hum ladna jante hain.

What will you do? Send me to jail? Murder me? Send agencies? How many jails do you have?

I want to quote Subramanian Swamy. He tweeted that two media channels are in BJP’s pockets. I am not saying this. A BJP MP is saying this.

From RBI to CBI, all the institutions have been destroyed. They are arm-twisting the media into silence. Even your money is not safe in banks.

Everyone is under surveillance. Opposition leaders, even officials and their own party leaders are under surveillance.

A police officer was murdered in Uttar Pradesh. What happened to the investing officer in the Ishrat case?

They are threatening to take away the medals of our police officers. Departmental inquiry… How many medals have you given? All officers will return their medals if even one of the officiers is touched.

They had the audacity to send the CBI to Kolkata police commissioner’s home. I have not seen a government which has stooped so low. Modi is like an eclipse for the nation.

What does he think? He is the only saint and rest of us are thieves?

They prevented Akhilesh from going to a meeting. They sent the agencies after Akhilesh and Mayawati announced an alliance.

Whichever party is strong, should contest against the BJP in their respective States. In Bengal, we are strong, in Andhra, Chandrababu Naidu is strong. In Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party is strong. In Uttar Pradesh, SP-BSP and RLD are strong.

I support Farooq Abdullah when he says that sometimes we need to make some sacrifices for a greater cause.

Let Congress fight the BJP in Rajasthan, MP or Chhattisgarh. We are habituated in fighting against the BJP, Congress and CPI(M). They fight unitedly against us. Even if we go for an understanding, they won’t transfer votes. It doesn’t matter. We will win 42/42 seats.

BJP has a lot of money power. How much money do they spend on a single meeting of Narendra Modi? They lure people with freebies like bikes and mobile phones.

They have built a party headquarter which resembles a shopping mall. And they will lecture us on democracy? We have tolerated enough.

From the media to the youth, industrialists to the farmers – everyone is being terrorised.

Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are two Gabbars. They have blood on their hands. They are ruling the country. What a travesty.

Coffin waits for me, I don’t wait for coffin. CBI can come to my house. Let me know, I will have a meal waiting for you.

For the interest of the nation, I am ready to sacrifice my life. We are not afraid. We will fight. Let us make a united India

Democracy has become NaMocracy now. He will not give a penny to States but is sending letters claiming credit for schemes.

They are altering history, changing names. This is worse than emergency.

Even Gujarat will reject Modi in the future. Mahatma Gandhi is also from Gujarat. He was a true leader. Modi is neither leader nor ladder. Even Ravana had 56 inch chest.

Modi hatao, Desh Bachao. BJP hatao, Desh bachao.

Ekta bachao, BJP hatao. Naujawan bachao, BJP hatao. Kisan bachao, Modi hatao.

Bangla Fasal Bima Yojana: State Govt to pay 100% of the premium

Posted on February 2, 2019 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Starting from the next financial year, that is, 2019-20, the State Government has decided to pay the full amount of the premium to farmers for the crop insurance scheme, Bangla Fasal Bima Yojana (BFBY). The full premium includes the Centre’s share, the State’s share and the farmers’ share.

This was announced recently during the course of a press conference by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Till now, the Bangla Government used to pay 80 per cent of the premium, that is, the State Government’s share and the farmers’ share.

Now, the State Government has decided that it would no longer take the help of the Centre as, despite paying the lion’s share, the Centre used to take all the credit by making it mandatory for the prime minister’s picture to be there on all promotional and other materials for the scheme.

The State Agriculture has already completed the procedures required for the new structure of the scheme. The State Government has also brought in certain changes to the scheme to make it more attractive for farmers so that more and more of them opt for it.

Farmers would now be able to get their crops insured against less earnings due to loss in production as a result of unfavourable weather or damages due to heavy rain, fire, lightning, storms, cyclones, typhoons, tornadoes, hailstorms, floods, droughts, and damages by insects and organisms like fungi, bacteria, viruses, etc.

In recent years, among the help provided by the State Government to farmers include paying almost 30 lakh farmers about Rs 1,200 crore for damages to their crops due to floods and droughts, waiving off of the agricultural tax and mutation fee, and the latest, introduction of the Krishak Bandhu Scheme.

Source: Sangbad Pratidin

Bangla Government honouring the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi

Posted on January 30, 2019 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

January 30 is the death anniversary of the ‘Father of the Nation’, Mahatma Gandhi. His connection with Bangla had always been spiritual. The Bangla Government observes Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on October 2 and his death anniversary on January 30, with due honour every year.

When India gained independence in 1947, Mahatma Gandhi had been residing in Gandhi Bhavan in Beliaghata, Kolkata. At present, Gandhi Bhavan also comprises a museum which showcases the charkha (spinning wheel) which he used when he resided here. Rare pictures of the Mahatma can also be found hung across the museum walls.

On the occasion of his death anniversary, here are some highlights of the Bangla Government’s tributary efforts towards Mahatma Gandhi:

This year’s Republic Day tableau depicted the time Gandhi ii spent in Bangla along with the great poet Rabindranath Tagore. The tableau depicted a picture of ‘Shyamoli’, the house where he lived in Santiniketan, and other imagery related to this phase of his life. The whole concept was conceived by Mamata Banerjee.
Mahatma Gandhi spent a considerable amount of time in this house in Beliaghata. The chief minister had launched the restoration work of the Gandhi Bhavan and the museum, worth Rs 3.5 crore, on the occasion of his birth anniversary on October 2, 2018.
The Bangla Government has set up a committee to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The chief minister is the chairperson of this 46-member committee, the first meeting of which was held on April 23, 2018.
Mamata Banerjee has also laid the foundation stone of a university named after Mahatma Gandhi in Tamluk in Purba Medinipur district.
Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary is observed as Sampriti Dibas across Bengal.
The State Government has introduced a scholarship scheme called ‘Medhabi Bhata’ and also designated a chair under his name in Calcutta University.
Apart from these, mention must also be made of a book due to be published by the Bangla Government containing all of Gandhi ji’s speeches, which will be released under the name, Father of the Nation.

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Through Khadya Sathi, State Govt is ensuring ‘Food For All’

Posted on January 27, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The Bangla Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has adopted the philosophy of ‘Food For All’, being implemented through the Khadya Sathi Scheme.

The Khadya Sathi Scheme envisages a system of systematic distribution of foodgrains across Bangla through the public distribution system (PDS), and for this, the government, through the Food & Supplies (F&S) Department, has brought about end-to end reforms in the management of the PDS.

The public distribution system consists of the public distribution outlets (PDO), commonly known as ration shops, which are basically fair-price shops (FPS).

Features of Khadya Sathi, being implemented through the public distribution system

To make the process of distribution of foodgrains hassle-free, the government has provided digital ration cards to 8.82 crore people.

Of these, 7.42 crore people are getting foodgrains at Rs 2 per kg while the rest 1.4 crore are getting foodgrains at half the market rate.

Of those getting foodgrains at the rate of Rs 2 per kg are

3,12,718 people of the Cyclone Aila-affected blocks and 3,619 reluctant farming families of Singur, getting 16kg foodgrains per month
8,75,703 beneficiaries of the Hills and 35,11,186 beneficiaries of Jangalmahal, getting 11kg foodgrains per month
All working and non-working families residing in the tea gardens (enrolled under Antodya Anna Yojana), getting 35kg foodgrains per month

The more needy beneficiaries are getting foodgrains completely free

1,572 beneficiaries of 139 Toto families in Alipurduar district, getting 11kg foodgrains per month
Almost 6,000 malnourished children and their mothers getting 5kg rice, 1kg masoor dal, 2.5kg wheat or fortified whole wheat flour (i.e., fortified atta) and 1kg Bengal gram
With the aim of ensuring proper nutrition, government is providing whole wheat flour instead of wheat

Festive season bonanza

For the important festivals – Durgotsav, Kali Puja and Diwali, Eid, Ramzan, Chhat Puja – edible oil, Bengal gram, flour and sugar supplied at subsidised rates from ration shops

Fair price shops

Part of the food distribution scheme for the needy is the setting up of fair-price shops in 120 tea gardens. The construction of 46 more is in progress.

Both supply and demand crucial for the success of ‘Food For All’

To ensure the success of the concept of ‘Food For All’, supply or production as much as distribution is required.

On the supply side, the government has ensured and is continuously ensuring better food storage capabilities, better facilities and schemes for farmers, and better food testing facilities.

These are touched upon in brief below:

Food storage capacity: Over the last seven-and-a-half years of the Trinamool Congress Government, the food storage capacity has been gradually augmented, and a lot of work is constantly being carried on, in terms of building more and better warehouses

Food storage capacity increased by 15 times to 9.36 lakh metric tonnes (MT)
Work currently in progress for enhancing the capacity by another 5 lakh MT
51 Khadya Bhawans built at the district and subdivisional levels
Work currently in progress for construction of 14 more Khadya Bhawans

Better facilities for farmers: As part of the mantra of ‘Food For All’, the State Government has also ensured that farmers get as much help as possible in producing that food, in the form of incentives. A few of the important developments in this aspect are:

No incidents of distress selling
In the 2017-18 kharif marketing season (KMS), 32.23 lakh MT paddy procured at minimum support price (MSP) from 4.67 lakh farmers
For the 2018-19 KMS, registration of farmers initiated from October 1, 2018 and paddy procurement begun from November 1, 2018
For selling to cooperative societies (samabay samitis) and at centralised procurement centres (CPC), farmers getting incentive of an MSP of Rs 1,750 per quintal
For selling at CPCs, farmers getting an incentive of Rs 20 per quintal over and above the MSP
Another incentive recently introduced is ‘Dhan Din, Cheque Nin’ (sell paddy, get cheque) wherein farmers get immediate payment for their paddy sold through cheques

Food testing system: State-of-the-art laboratories are being set up across Bangla for carrying out for carrying food quality tests.

There is a central laboratory in Kolkata.
15 district laboratories are being set up in 15 districts
6 regional laboratories are being built in Medinipur, Bardhaman, Krishnanagar, Malda, Siuri and Siliguri

Hence, as we see, Khadya Sathi has been a resounding success for Bangla. The scheme is the brainchild of Mamata Banerjee. As a result of it, people across the State, those who require, are getting foodgrains at subsidised rates.

Mamata Banerjee and her government’s commitment to ‘Food For All’ has resulted in an unwavering commitment towards farmers right from 2011. Among other things, their average annual income has increased by more than three times, from Rs 91,000 in financial year (FY) 2010-11 to Rs 2.91 lakh in 2017-18.

Headless agency has now become spineless BJP: Mamata Banerjee on CBI

Posted on January 25, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Describing the CBI as one of the “allies” of the BJP-led Central Government, Bangla Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday alleged that the Centre was using the agency to harass the opposition parties across the country.

She called the CBI, which was yet to get a new director, “headless” and said it has now become a “spineless BJP”.

“So political vendetta continues. BJP & its ‘allies’ comprising multiple govt agencies harassing all allies of Oppn from Kol to Delhi & beyond,” Ms Banerjee tweeted.

She also doubted whether the BJP was “scared” and using the agencies in a “desperate” move.

“From Akhilesh Yadav to Behen Mayawati Ji, nobody is spared. From north to south. From east to west. Political vendetta by BJP. Are they scared? Are they desperate? One headless agency has now become spineless BJP,” she added.

Honouring the legacy of Swami Vivekananda

Posted on January 11, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The great follower of the philosophy of Swami Vivekananda that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is, she has named schemes and places after the great son of Bangla.

Here is a list of the works of the Bangla Government in preserving the legacy of Swami Vivekananda:

Giving autonomy and special status to Ramakrishna and Sarada Mission educational institutions, which are associated with Swami Vivekananda’s ideology to impart education and foster character-building
Naming the Centre for Human Excellence and Social Sciences being built by the Ramakrishna Mission as ‘Vivek Tirtha’ by Mamata Banerjee
Acquiring and handing over premises adjoining Swamiji’s ancestral house to Ramakrishna Mission
Renovating ‘Mayer Bari’ in Baghbazar, Kolkata at a cost of Rs 30 crore
Acquiring Sister Nivedita’s house at Baghbazar and handing it over to Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, and giving it heritage status
Allocating Rs 2 crore for the renovation of ‘Roy Villa’ in Darjeeling, associated with Sister Nivedita, and handing it over to Ramakrishna Mission
Building a skywalk connecting Dakshineswar railway station to the famous temple there; it is named Dakshineswar Rani Rashmoni Skywalk
Renaming Yuva Bharati Krirangan after Swami Vivekananda, as Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan
Naming the Self-Help and Self-Employment Department-run self-employment scheme as Swami Vivekananda Swanirbhar Karmasansthan Prakalpa
Naming the scholarship for economically disadvantaged families as Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-Means Scholarship
Organising Vivek Chetana Utsav from January 10 to 12, for commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, across the State

Deaths due to road accidents – Kolkata the safest metro city

Posted on January 5, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The latest data shows that Kolkata is the safest metro city in terms of occurrence of deaths due to road accidents. Kolkata Police officials say that the ‘Safe Drive Save Life’ (SDSL) campaign is primarily responsible for the success. This campaign is a brainchild of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

In 2017, 318 fatal road accidents (that is, where there was loss of life) occurred in Kolkata, which caused the deaths of 329 people.

For Delhi the numbers for fatal road accidents and deaths were 1,565 and 1,584, respectively. For Mumbai, they were 467 and 490 respectively. For Chennai, 1,312 and 1,347, respectively, and for Bengaluru, 609 and 642, respectively.

Even in a small metro city like Pune, 360 fatal road accidents took place in 2017, which caused the deaths of 373 people.

Hence, Kolkata is head and shoulders above the rest of the cities, and SDSL campaign has had a major role to play in making roads safer and driving home awareness among the people.

Source: Bartaman

State Govt’s earnest efforts result in spur in organ transplants

Posted on January 3, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Thanks to the constant awareness campaigns being run by the State Health Department, Bangla has seen an unprecedented spur in organ transplants. The campaigns are run at both the government-run and private.

According to a senior official of the department, as many as 14 different cases of organ transplants have taken place in the State since July 2018. The transplants have taken place at both State-run and private institutions.

Organ transplants that have occurred here are essentially cadaver transplants. Organs were retrieved from patients who were declared brain dead by the competent authorities, transported to other hospitals and then transplanted on to patients in need.

The whole process is done through a register maintained by the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO), which holds names of potential receivers who urgently require organs.

It may be mentioned that transplant of an organ is heavily dependent on the initiative of the individuals rather than a comprehensive system. Hence, the campaigns of the Health Department are crucial.

Department officials are hopeful that the number of transplants in the State will go up in the future. The awareness campaigns have been intensified and a concrete roadmap is being created. The department will also tie up with non-governmental organisations (NGO) to carry out the campaign in a more effective manner.

Source: Millennium Post

Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar speaks on The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016

Posted on December 17, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you, Honourable Madam. I stand here to participate in the discussion on ‘The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016’. At the very outset, I would like to congratulate the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, for already having formed a board for the welfare of transgenders three years back, which is the call of the day. I think the Central Government and all other States should follow this to look after transgenders.

Now, I think that this is a very hastily drafted Bill, and the different clauses mentioned are totally inconclusive. We have to first define what ‘transgender’ means. Here it is written that a transgender person is one who is neither wholly female, neither wholly male, or a combination of female or male, neither female nor male. On this earth, as far as medical science is concerned, there can be no being that is neither a female nor a male. A person’s external sexuality, that is, the phenotype, determined by the internal sexuality, that is, the genotype, which is the combination of the genes; either it is XX or it is XY. A person who is XY is a male while a person who is XX is a female. But sometimes there are three X chromosomes, which person is known as ‘super-female’ or there is a combination of these. So then they are known as true hermaphrodite or false hermaphrodite.

But a transgender is not always a hermaphrodite. A transgender is a person who has the internal genetic code made up in such a way that the sexuality granted to the child after birth is not aligned to his or her mental capability, and gender dysphoria is a kind of distress such a person goes through. This can lead to distress related to eating disorder, suicide, depression, anxiety and social isolation.

None of these are mentioned in the copy of the draft that we have here. This is a hastily drafted Bill. I don’t know who has done it. Doctors are still grappling with it. The American Psychiatric Association, only as late as 2013, has defined this disease, and in this disease, when a person has no discrimination between genotype and phenotype, that is, between the internal and external manifestation of the chromosome, still might feel, being a female, that I am more comfortable being a male – that is an actual transgender, which is not mentioned in the Bill. The Bill is totally null and void in this respect.

A lawmaker’s actual duty is to look at the justice meted out to every kind of human being, as is given by Article 14 of the Constitution of India. We are indebted to the Honourable Supreme Court by the verdict given on April 15, 2014 in which various steps have been directed to be taken by the governments of the States and at the Centre for the welfare of transgenders.

So this Bill does not cater to those provisions. The American Psychiatric Association has described in detail the clauses that have to be brought into Bill in order to make it into welfare Bill for the actual transgenders. As far as their educational help is concerned, there should be a third column during admission – that is, male, female or third gender. They should be given reservation in jobs. Since they feel differently, and so might dress differently, the provision must be there. The social milieu must be such that society is compassionate to their diseased condition. This condition takes place because of their testosterone dysfunction.

So it appears, Honourable Madam, that this Bill has been very hastily drafted, and the opinion of specialists has not been taken, because it says that even after a person has been identified, they have to go to the municipality and then take a certificate from the municipal doctor. When the American Psychiatric Association has only described this in 2013, how will the municipal doctor be informed of the latest disease? We don’t take a transgender person as an abnormality any more, this is just a diseased condition. The disease has to be studied. So, a specialist board has to be formed and the person has to be certified through that specialist board whose members should be duly qualified.

It appears that while drafting the different clauses of the Bill, proper attention was not given. So this Bill has to be recalled and a properly drafted Bill has to be tabled.

Thank you, Madam.