Handloom and handicrafts sectors flourish in Bangla

Posted on August 20, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

The handloom and handicrafts sectors of Bangla have seen a massive revival, under the guidance of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in the last seven years.

From the issuance of identity cards, to the distribution of better equipment or the training of artisans – the State Government has extended all help to the people engages with this industry.

Thanks to the various fairs and exhibitions, and the Biswa Bangla Brand, handicrafts and handloom products of Bangla have now gone global.

Handloom industry flourishes

5,31,075 Weavers’ Identity Cards (WIC) distributed in 2017, against nil as in 2011
66,500 credit cards issued to weavers
95,000 weavers imparted skill development training
75,889 looms provided to loom-less weavers
44 lakh cheaper variety cotton sarees produced
16 times increase in creation of additional person-days – 533 lakh between financial years (FY) 2011-12 to 2017-18 as compared to 33.18 lakh till 2010-11
1 lakh weavers being provided marketing support through Tanter Haats
24.15 km link road constructed for better road network for handloom clusters Mega Carpet Clusters launched covering 3,500 weavers
Project Baluchari being implemented, involving 2,500 weavers
Tantuja turned to a profit-making organisation from 2014-15, after making loss for decades – Rs 204.9 crore business turnover achieved by Tantuja in FY 2017-18

Revival of Bangla handicrafts

5,31,772 Artisan Identity Cards issued between FYs 2011-12 and 2017-18 as compared to 37,213 between FYs 2006-07 and 2017-18
12,000 credit cards issued to artisans
10 Rural Craft Hubs established (in collaboration with UNESCO), benefitting 25,000 artisans. The project has attracted about 80,000 tourists in the last 3 years.
27 marketing outlets set up for artisans in the last 3 years
Rs 924 crore business generated from fairs and exhibitions
Manjusha started making profit from FY 2015-16 after making loss for three decades; over Rs 91 crore turnover achieved in FY 2017-18
8 Biswa Bangla showrooms functioning in and outside Bengal, from which more than Rs 50 crore in sales generated till 2017

Bengal among the best in achievements in the rural sector

Posted on June 15, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Mamata Banerjee, in a Facebook post today, announced one more good news for Bengal on the developmental front. The State has emerged among the best-performing States in rural road connectivity and rural housing, and has achieved one hundred per cent of the allocated target for setting up bank accounts for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Anandadhara Scheme.

Recently, the State had earned the first prize in the 100 Days’ Work Scheme, under convergence.
The full post is reproduced below:

It is again good news for Bengal.

Our state has emerged among the best performing states in rural road connectivity (Grameen Sadak Yojana), rural housing and achieving 100% of allocated target in Self Help Group-Bank linkage under “Anandadhara”, as per communication of the Government of India.

This is in addition to best performance award in convergence under 100-days work, which I shared with you a few days back.

My heartiest congratulations and best wishes to all.

Click here to go to the post

গ্রামীণ উন্নয়নের দেশের মধ্যে সেরা বাংলা

আবারও কেন্দ্রের প্রশংসা পেল রাজ্য। গ্রামীণ জনপদের সাথে সড়ক যোগাযোগ উন্নত করায় পুরস্কার পেতে চলেছে বাংলা। শুধু গ্রামীণ সড়ক যোজনা নয়, প্রধানমন্ত্রী আবাস যোজনা, আনন্দধারা, ১০০ দিনের কাজেও ভালো পারফর্মেন্সের জন্য পুরস্কার পেতে চলেছে রাজ্য সরকার। এদিন ফেসবুকে একথা জানিয়েছেম মুখ্যমন্ত্রী।

সেই পোস্টে ছিল বাংলার জন্য একটি সুখবর। গ্রামীণ সড়ক যোগাযোগ ব্যাবস্থা ও গ্রামীণ আবাসনের দিক থেকে বাংলা দেশের সেরা রাজ্যগুলির একটি। এছাড়া আনন্দধারা প্রকল্পে স্বনির্ভর গোষ্ঠীর ১০০ শতাংশ সদস্যের ব্যাঙ্কের আকাউন্ট খোলা হয়ে গেছে।

এর আগে রাজ্য ১০০ দিনের কাজে ভালো পারফর্মেন্সের জন্য প্রথম পুরষ্কার পেয়েছে বাংলা।

মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর ফেসবুক পোস্টটির জন্য এখানে ক্লিক করুন

All Bengal villages to be illuminated by March 2017, says Power Minister

Posted on December 8, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

All Bengal villages will have power by March 2017. In a reply to a question in Assembly on Wednesday, the state power minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay said the work on 100 per cent electrification in the state would be complete by March 2017.

He said the work of 100 per cent electrification in 11 districts was complete. In these 11 districts, all places will now be illuminated after sunset.

Overall 98 per cent of the task is complete in the state. The remaining two per cent would also be completed by the end of the current financial year, Chattopadhyay said.

“Power cut has become a thing of the past since 2012-13,” Chattopadhyay said adding that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had dreamed of a state where there would be power supply to each and every household. Moreover, there should be no power cuts. The situation has improved a lot in the past five and half years and it would improve further.

২০১৭ র মধ্যে বাংলার সব গ্রামে বিদ্যুৎ পৌঁছে যাবে, জানালেন বিদ্যুৎ মন্ত্রী

২০১৭ সালের মধ্যে বাংলার সব গ্রামে বিদ্যুৎ পৌঁছে যাবে। বুধবার বিধানসভায় একটি প্রশ্নের উত্তরে একথা জানান রাজ্যের বিদ্যুৎ মন্ত্রী শোভনদেব চট্টোপাধ্যায়। তিনি জানান ২০১৭ সালের মার্চ মাসের মধ্যে বাংলার সব গ্রামে বিদ্যুতায়নের ১০০ শতাংশ কাজ শেষ হয়ে যাবে।

১১টি জেলার কাজ সম্পন্ন হয়ে গেছে। এই ১১ টি জেলার সব জায়গা সূর্যাস্তের পরও আলোকিত থাকবে।

রাজ্যের প্রায় ৯৮% কাজ সম্পূর্ণ হয়ে গেছে। বাকি ২ শতাংশ কাজ চলতি আর্থিক বছরেই শেষ হয়ে যাবে, জানান মন্ত্রী।

তিনি জানান, ২০১২-২০১৩ সাল থেকে লোডশেডিং এখন অতীত হয়ে গেছে। রাজ্যের কোথাও কোন লোডশেডিং হবে না এবং রাজ্যের প্রতিটি ঘরে বিদ্যুৎ থাকবে এটা মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়ের স্বপ্ন। গত পাঁচ বছরের তুলনায় পরিস্থিতি অনেক উন্নত হয়েছে এবং পরিস্থিতিকে আরও উন্নত করতে হবে।

Bengal aims to build additional 1,200 km of rural roads

Posted on June 21, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Road connectivity in the rural areas is one of the biggest priorities of the state government. The Panchayat and Rural Development department submitting a Detailed Project report (DPR) for the construction of 1,200 km of rural roads to the Centre for clearance.

Bengal shows the way

Incidentally, West Bengal had bagged the award for best construction of rural roads under Pradhan Matri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the year 2013-14. The target was to build 2,010 km of rural roads and by March 2014 the department had constructed 2,714 km.

The Panchayat and Rural Development department had constructed 10,575 km road in the year 2011-16 March, against 10,690 km road constructed by the erstwhile Left Front government between the years 2001-11.

Economic hardship

The Centre has drastically reduced the fund under PMGSY. Earlier it used to bear cent per cent cost and the state government had to maintain the roads. Now, the Centre’s share has come down to 60 per cent and the state government has to dish out 40 per cent of the cost along with maintenance of the roads. But despite the economic hardship, the state government is going ahead and improving road connectivity.

Because of improvement in rural connectivity, rural economy has improved and earning of every household has gone up.

The image is representative

বাংলার লক্ষ্য আরও ১২০০ কিমি গ্রামীণ সড়ক নির্মাণ

গ্রামাঞ্চলে সড়ক সংযোগ রাজ্য সরকারের সবচেয়ে বড় অগ্রাধিকার। ১২০০ কিমি গ্রামীণ সড়ক নির্মাণের অনুমোদনের জন্য পঞ্চায়েত ও গ্রামোন্নয়ন বিভাগ একটি বিস্তারিত প্রকল্পের রিপোর্ট (ডিপিআর) জমা করেছে।

বাংলাই পথপ্রদর্শক

উল্লেখ্য, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ ২০১৩-১৪ সালে প্রধানমন্ত্রী গ্রাম সড়ক যোজনার (PMGSY) অধীনে গ্রামীণ সড়ক নির্মাণের জন্য শ্রেষ্ঠ পুরস্কার পেয়েছে। লক্ষ্য ছিল ২,০১০ কিমি গ্রামীণ সড়ক নির্মাণ এবং ২০১৪ সালের মার্চ মাসের মধ্যে এই দপ্তর ২,৭১৪ কিমি সড়ক নির্মাণ করেছে।

পঞ্চায়েত ও গ্রামোন্নয়ন বিভাগ ২০১১-১৬ সালের মার্চ মাসের মধ্যে ১০,৫৭৫ কিলোমিটার সড়ক নির্মাণ করেছে। ২০০১-১১ সালের মধ্যে পূর্বতন বামফ্রন্ট সরকার ১০,৬৯০ কিলোমিটার সড়ক নির্মাণ করেছিল।

অর্থনৈতিক দুরবস্থা

কেন্দ্র প্রধানমন্ত্রী গ্রাম সড়ক যোজনার তহবিল অনেক কমিয়ে দিয়েছে। অতীতে কেন্দ্রীয় সরকার এই প্রকল্পের পুরো খরচ বহন করত এবং রাজ্যের কাজ ছিল শুধু সড়ক রক্ষণাবেক্ষণ করা। কিন্তু এখন সড়ক রক্ষণাবেক্ষণ সহ ব্যয়ের শতকরা হার কেন্দ্রকে ৬০ শতাংশ এবং রাজ্যকে ৪০ শতাংশ হিসেবে বণ্টন করা হয়েছে। কিন্তু আর্থিক দুরবস্থা থাকা সত্ত্বেও রাজ্য সরকার সড়ক যোগাযোগ ব্যবস্থা উন্নত করার লক্ষ্যে এগিয়ে চলেছে।

গ্রামীণ সড়ক সংযোগ ব্যবস্থা উন্নয়নের জন্য, গ্রামীণ অর্থনীতির উন্নতি হয়েছে এবং প্রত্যেক পরিবারের আয় বেড়েছে।

Bengal leads in rural electrification

Posted on December 10, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Bengal leads once again; this time in rural electrification. Data furnished by the Centre shows that West Bengal is among the best performing states in rural electrification scheme.

In a report placed in the Rajya Sabha by the Union Power Minister regarding the work done on rural electrification in different States, it was revealed that only 14 villages are left in the State to be connected with electricity.

In this respect, it must be added that Bengal has the least number of villages to be connected with electricity compared to all the other States. For example, the number of villages that are still under darkness in Odisha are 3282. In Madhya Pradesh the number of such villages is 346, 2720 in Assam and so on.

State Power Minister said that till 2011, only 30% of the villages in West Bengal were electrified. In the last four years, the number increased to 94%.

Time and again, the Central Government had to follow the Bengal model for different schemes even after neglecting the State financially. Whether it is the Swachh Bharat scheme or Maoist problem, Kanyashree or fair price medicine shops, Bengal has emerged as a national model under Mamata Banerjee.

HIDCO to develop Eco Village in Rajarhat

Posted on June 16, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

After Eco Park, now Eco Village, a replica of reality. Those who do not have the opportunity of visiting rural Bengal will be able to experience how an ideal village is – Mud houses, naturally, without AC, ponds with fish in them and which you can fish as well. You can even cook the fish you catch at the new facility.

How about a boat-ride? HIDCO is planning to introduce only paddle and shikara boats instead of motor ones. Ample food options will also be available.

Urban Village

HIDCO’s Urban Eco Village is coming up on an 84 acre plot opposite the Eco Park. A village ecosystem is being developed by HIDCO with bamboo, hay and wood surrounding a huge water body. Here you will be able to go out for fishing, bird-watching or boating, you will also be able to see and taste the dishes of native Bengal.

As souvenirs you will be able to purchase handicrafts. Just as the Maidan acts as the lungs of Kolkata, Eco Park is the same for New Town. Eco Village will be an added oxygen supplier to those lungs”.

Prime location

A broad road stretches from the middle of gates 2 and 3 of the Eco Park starting from the Biswa Bangla Sarani till the end of Action Area 2, various apartments are located here. Opposite that, a huge plot of land has been identified beside Nababpur and Famerhati villages.

Eco Village is being developed around a water-body. Except for the washrooms, nothing else will be made of concrete here. The ducks will be introduced in the pond and various flowering plants and fruits will be grown on its sides.

Tourist attractions

A bird-watching tower is also a part of the plans, apart from the local birds, various migratory birds will be seen here. Open bill bird from Indonesia comes here.

Huts will be made available for resting in the afternoon. People can get a feel of Santiniketan or Darjeeling. Apart from that, village experience from North and South India will be available. Kids will also get a park in this facility.

When seen from the sky, the village will be in the shape of the English alphabet ‘B’. HIDCO has already begun their work as per the schedule.

WB CM writes to Centre to help potato farmers of the state

Posted on April 24, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to finance minister Arun Jaitley recently to rescue the potato farmers of the state suffering due to a bumper crop this season.

Listing the number of steps already taken by the Bengal government to ensure that the record 1 lakh, 20 thousand metric tonne yield fetches a fair price, WB CM has urged the Centre to take some specific measures that the Centre can take to bail out the farmers.

Concrete steps by State

In her second letter to Jaitley, after one she wrote on April 9, CM said that the state government has taken steps like, directly procuring potato from farmers for supplying to ICDS and midday meal beneficiaries, providing transport subsidy for inter-state movement of potato by the railways, subsidy for exporting potato from the Calcutta port.

In the letter, the CM has asked the finance minister to waive loans taken by potato farmers and also allow fresh loans for the kharif crop.

Letter against curtailing rural dev funds

WB CM has also written a letter to the Centre, opposing any move to reduce funds already sanctioned for rural development projects.

“Recently, the Union government has given us a letter informing about curtailment of funds for a number of rural development schemes, like the Backward Regions Grants Fund and the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhijan fund meant for strengthening panchayat infrastructure,” Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee said. “I shall visit Delhi to talk to the Centre on this issue.”

Growth of Infrastructure in Bengal: Some fact checks

Posted on March 10, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

The sustainable economic development depends on asset creating Capital Expenditure. Capital Expenditure refers to the expenses related to creation of infrastructure like roads, bridges, waters, schools, hospitals and other public works. There has been a sea change in growth of infrastructure developments since the time the new Government took office.

In 2010-11, during the previous Left Front Government, Capital Expenditure grew at negative (-ve) 26.08%. There has been a continuous improvement since then. In 2011-12, the growth was positive 24.17%, in 2012-13 at 64.53% and in the present year at 52.33%. Such growth is historic.

Plan Expenditure

The Plan Expenditure of the State has been doubled in the span of the last three years. In 2010-11, the State under Left Front Government has a Plan Expenditure worth Rs 14,165.16 Crore, and in 2013-14 it has grown to Rs 28,159.37 Crore.

Storage Capacity of Agricultural Products

There storage capacity of agricultural products has grown by more than nine times in the last three years. In 2010-11 the storage capacity was 40,000 MT and in the year 2013-14, the storage capacity is now at 3.8 Lakh MT. 84 Krishak Bazars have been already set up. The allocations on agricultural and food processing industries have increased by 25% in the State Budget over last year’s budget.

Water for All

615 rural water supply schemes have been commissioned since May 2011, which is double the number for the corresponding period (2007-2011). The expenses on providing safe drinking water have been increased by 252% from Rs 470 Crore (2010-11) to 1658 Crore (2013-14). More than 41 thousand hand pumps installed. The coverage of piped water has increased from 37.95% to 44.11%.

Rural Roads

More than 2630 kms of rural roads have been constructed in 2013-14, while in comparison only 381 kms were constructed in 2010-11 under Left Rule. The Expenditure also grew significantly from Rs 565 Crore in 2010-11 to Rs 1310 Crore in 2013-14.

State Highways

The Expenditure increased by 152%, from Rs 639 Crore (2010-11) to Rs 1610 Crore (2013-14). During this period from May 2011, 88 bridges and Rail-over-Bridges are nearing completion. The work for Asian Highway 2 and Asian Highway 48 connecting Nepal-Bangladesh and Bangladesh-Bhutan respectively has commenced.

Power

New thermal power centres are being constructed in Santaldih, Durgapur, Sagardighi, Raghunathpur. The Katwa thermal power project is expected to invite investments worth Rs 10,000 Crore. Transmission sub stations have been installed in Dalkhola, Kalna, Khatra, Kakdwio, Kurseong, Sankrial food park, Howrah and Kharagpur.

There has been remarkable development in power transmission infrastructure. 343 MVA Transformer capacity and construction of 887 km transmission line have been made in case of High Transmission line. During the same time, in case of Low Transmission line, enhancement of 2654 MVA transformer capacity have been made.

Power banks have been created, thus excess power produced is saved. Remote islands of Sundarbans are being supplied with power through grid.

Under the Scheme, ‘Sabar Ghore Alo’ electrification is under process for 1 Crore rural households. The work for universal electrification will be complete for all districts by 2016.

Burdwan emerges top in providing 100 Days’ work under MGNREGA

Posted on January 31, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Burdwan has emerged numero uno in the country in providing 100-days’ work under the MGNREGA, as per the Union Rural Development Ministry.

The District Magistrate has been invited to accept a recognition regarding the same in New Delhi on February 2.

The high rate of participation of SC, ST and women in works under the MGNREGA has been lauded. The feat was achieved due to relentless work of the entire district administration and officials working in the rural sector.