Amit Mitra leads Team Bengal at China

Amit Mitra leads Team Bengal at China

Posted on June 11, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

State finance and industries minister Amit Mitra is in China today to attract investment for Bengal as well as strengthen the much talked about Kolkata-Kunming connectivity.

Dr Mitra is accompanied by an Indian Chamber of Commerce delegation. Dr Mitra said that India will be the partner country of the 3rd China South Asia Expo in Kunming, and Bengal will be the focus state.

Bengal had a 450 sq m stall at the venue with 28 stalls displaying the potential of Bengal. On Friday, Dr Mitra will address the joint opening ceremony of the expo. “There will be a special cultural programme from Bengal,” he added.

There will be business-to-business meetings with Chinese counterparts as well.

Projects worth Rs 91000 Cr started in Bengal in 2015: Amit Mitra

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

Rejecting the opposition’s allegations of deteriorating and slow industrial growth in the state, West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra Monday said projects worth Rs 91,230 crore have been started in the four months of 2015.

Of the total projects initiated, Rs 32,000 crore is in power sector and Rs 47,000 crore in manufacturing and transport, Mitra informed the Assembly during his reply for approval of grants for Commerce and Industry department.

The projects had started within four months of the Global Bengal Summit where MoUs worth Rs 2.34 lakh crore were signed, he added.

Informing the House on the ongoing previously announced projects, he said 435 industrial projects had been either implemented or under implementation.

He added that 224 investment proposals are in the pipeline, entailing an investment of Rs 1.14 lakh crore.

Opposition members of the House had leveled allegations of slow industrial progress under the current government, contradicting industrial output data besides charging the government of being a mute spectator to closing of jute mills and tea gardens, among others.

Amit Mitra to lead Team Bengal at China expo

Posted on June 3, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

State Finance, Industries and Commerce Minister Dr Amit Mitra will lead a delegation to the third China South Asia Business Forum and Expo to be held between June 11 and 16 at Kunming, China to showcase West Bengal as an investment-friendly state.

Promoting Bengal

The government would participate in the expo in a big way to showcase Bengal. The governor of Yunnan had earlier invited the West Bengal government officials to showcase the state in China.

The government will put up 28 stalls in the expo focusing on industry , tourism and food processing.

Dr Mitra will lead the state delegation along with senior officials of food processing, industries, tourism and micro, small and medium enterprises departments. WBIDC and industry representatives will also accompany him.

Bilateral ties

The state government is already working on a project to restore the old Chinatown in Tiretta Bazaar through preservation of the historic character of the place, by revitalizing the area into a street food hub and introducing a night market that could attract tourists from China to come and have a look at.

MoUs will also be signed between tour operators of Kunming and West Bengal that will help them exchange familiarization visits.

Already, the West Bengal Incentive Scheme 2015 has come into effect in consultation with travel and tour operators’ associations and industry stakeholders. Apart from usual incentives, provisions for granting tourism promotion assistance at the rate of 75% of VAT for five years and entitlement of additional floor area ratio for mega tourism units have come as a big boost to investment in the tourism sector.

Sister cities

Kolkata and Kunming are now dubbed as sister cities and there is already a direct flight between the two cities with flight timing of just over two hours. The frequency can also be raised.

This year, West Bengal tourism will be repositioned in the international and domestic tour and travel sector with a new brand logo. Having a state delegation led by the finance minister and senior bureaucrats and industrialists will only further help in showcasing the state in this sector.

Nalban facelift gets underway

Posted on May 23, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

The Nalban Food Park will look new within a few months. The state fisheries development corporation (SFDC) is working on a project worth Rs 1.67 crore to give the park a facelift with extension of the area, new lighting and seating arrangements and beautification of the water body in an eco-friendly way.

A development plan has been chalked out and a boundary wall has been set up, lighting and seating arrangements are being improved and eco-friendly toilets are being installed.

The project is being carried out towards the Sector V end of the Nalban bheri. No structural construction is being done since it falls under a wetland.

Earlier, the forest department, fisheries department and Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority conducted a survey, following which the beautification plan was cleared.

The overall plan is to develop the park as a tourist spot where visitors can spend time and have recreational activities. Keeping this in mind, the authorities even plan to develop it as a water park.

Image courtesy: Makemytrip.com

Bengal tourism flourishes – tourist footfall doubles in 2014

Posted on May 22, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

West Bengal in 2014 saw around 89% growth in tourist footfall as compared to the previous year, state tourism minister Bratya Basu said.

According to the minister, 5.04 crore tourists visited Bengal last year compared to 2.67 crore in 2013.

Apart from the overall growth, number of foreign tourists also went up to 14 lakh from 12.45 lakh in 2013.

“Our estimate is that the overall number of tourists as well as number of foreign tourists will get doubled this year,” the minister said.

The increase in footfall of tourists can be attributed to the higher budgetary allocation for improving the tourism infrastructure in the state.

In 2011-12 the allocation was Rs 44 crore which has gone up to Rs 317 crore in 2015-16.

Year-wise growth of tourist footfall in Bengal

Tourism gets special focus under Trinamool Government

Posted on May 20, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

The West Bengal Government under the leadership of Ms Mamata Banerjee has made developments in every sector in every districts of the State. The Chief Minister has visited each district, chaired meetings across the State with the district officials from Darjeeling to Sundarbans to take stock of ongoing projects and plan newer ones. Identifying new tourist spots and creation of infrastructure for tourists have been one of the agendas of the Chief Minister during her numerous district visits.

The Trinamool Government under Ms Mamata Banerjee had rightly identified that West Bengal with its varied natural beauty has the capability to attract tourists from national and international sphere, and thus earn huge revenue. However, after 34 years of Left misrule, the tourism infrastructure in the State was in tatters. So, firstly, it was decided to renovate the existing to a quality standard and then identify the newer options.

Increased planned expenditure In Tourism under Trinamool Government

In the four year, from 2007-08 to 2010-11, the planned expenditure in Tourism under the Left Government was on an average Rs 16.88 crore only. In the first four years of the West Bengal Government under Trinamool Congress, the planned expenditure in Tourism rose to a total of Rs 331.93 crores, which is Rs 82.95 crores on an average per year. In the years 2011-12 the the planned expenditure on tourism was Rs 30.64 crores. It was increased to Rs 52.62 in 2012-13 and in 2013-14 it further increased to Rs 81.16 crores. In 2014-15, the planned expenditure (revised) was Rs 167.50 crores.

It is observed that while the past Left Government was downsizing the planned expenditure on Tourism year after year, the present Government under Trinamool has been instrumental in increasing the same.

Completed Tourism projects under Trinamool Government

As published on the Economic review2014-15, the following tourism projects have been completed since May 2011:

• Construction and renovation of cottages in different locations at Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong

• Tourism centres in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts

• Tourism centres in Cooch Behar

• Construction of Maldah Museum

• Motijhil tourism centre in Murshidabad

• Chupchar project, Batukeshwar Dutta project and Gopinath Sabji project in Bardhaman

• Ballavpur-Sharmbati project in Birbhum

• Gadiara tourism centre in Howrah

• Furfura Sharif and Chandannagar tourism centres in Hooghly

• Kashipur Mahashram, Kolkata Maidan, Police Museum, College Street, Eden Gardens and other such projects in Kolkata

• Malancha Tourist Lodge in North 24 Parganas

• Tourism projects in Gangasagar and Basanti in South 24 Parganas

• Digha Tourist Lodge in Purba Medinipur

Newer tourism projects are coming up in Bengal

The West Bengal Government has taken up a ne Tourism Incentive Policy in 2015. Under the initiative of the West Bengal Chief Minister, Eco-tourism, Home Tourism and Tea Tourism have been included under this policy.

New projects that are coming up include the Gajaldoba Mega Tourism project, Jharkhali Eco-tourism project, Sabujdwip Eco-tourism project and Jhargram Rajbari Heritage project. Besides, facilities of home-stays are being identified at Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Mukutmanipur and other places of scenic beauty.

Bottomline

The West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee has time and again given suggestions regarding different tourism projects and providing proper facilities to the tourists. The State Government is following the suggestions and also taking part in different tourism fairs nationally and internationally in order to promote Bengal and attract tourists. From Gangasagar in the south to Darjeeling in the north, special focus is being given to tourism and this will be a major success for the State in the coming years.

100 new motels to give tourism in Bengal a boost

Posted on April 26, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

The West Bengal Tourism Department has decided to associate with the Public Works and Forest departments in order to modernize and expand infrastructural facilities and give a boost to tourism in the State.

While the PWD will construct more than 100 ‘Pather Sathis’ (attractive motels) alongside almost all the national and state highways across the state at a cost of more than Rs 20 crore, all forest ‘rest houses’ will be upgraded with essential gadgets like air-conditioners, LED television sets, geysers and refrigerators.

Motels facilitating pleasant connectivity to tourist spots would be handed over to the Tourism department by the PWD on completion for maintenance and formation of joint ventures wherever possible for quick recovery of costs.

Revenues earned by the Forest department would be shared by all stakeholders, including private partners, who would promote sales and guarantee upkeep of the facilities for weekend travelers.

Yet another novel method of attracting travelers– both domestic and foreign, would be the arrangement of short ‘home-stays’ deep inside forests with picturesque surroundings.

Promoted through enterprising ‘Forest Protection Committee’ members, these cosy nooks mostly in North Bengal, Dooars and Darjeeling (in places like Tagda, Chimney and Pokriata) would give private entrepreneurs, especially tea garden owners, a run for their money.

However, the most frequented facilities like Mirik, Jaldapara, Gorumara, Holong, Digha and Gangasagar will not be given lesser importance.

WB Govt to promote homestays at tourist spots

Posted on February 7, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

After eco tourism hubs, the state government is keen to promote homestays at prominent tourist spots as part of its efforts to ensure significant rise in tourist flow to the state. “The government is working on a policy to develop homestays at prominent tourist locations.

The most interesting feature of this policy is that luxury tax will be waived,” said tourism minister Bratya Basu while inaugurating the 5th Destination East, a joint initiative by the CII and the state government.

“Such new trends in tourism would not only drive the GDP growth but would also create numerous new jobs in the state,” added Basu. To promote homestays for visitors, the tourism department is considering offering financial assistance to the owners of homestays, helping them to beautify their dwellings, spruce up toilets and do other value additions.

Fabulous response as Kolkata gears up to be India’s first Wi-Fi city

Posted on January 29, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

From students to professionals, restaurateurs to smartphone sellers, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Wi-Fi plan has touched every Kolkatan.

Thanks to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s announcement of the roll-out of Wi-Fi service, Netizens are all geared up to take a big leap into the virtual world.

But they will have to wait a little longer – two months to be precise – before they can log on.

Reliance Jio, that will be offering the service, says they will begin the roll-out in March and cover the whole of Kolkata in a year.

To begin with, users will not have to pay anything for the first two months. And they can log on without much effort. All that they must do is click on the Wi-Fi option, after which they will receive an SMS asking their e-mail ID. A password will be mailed to them.

Park Street apart, Wi-Fi signal will be available in Loudon Street, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road and Mirza Ghalib Street. The rest of Kolkata will be covered in phases, according to Reliance JIO.

“We will expand the area in phases and that might take up to a year. We will offer 4G services and anyone with a Wi-Fi option in the device can log on. But even as we expand the area, we will launch schemes. So, you could expect free services for the first 4-5 months,” said a Reliance JIO spokesperson.

Park Street is excited about the roll-out.

Once it happens, you can log on to the Net from anywhere in the area – pavements, staircases or cafeterias. Flurys executive chef Vikas Singh believes it will change the perception about Kolkata. “In London, I have used hotspots where Wi-Fi is offered free and advertized. People tend to gather in these areas. That it is happening to Park Street, is a big thing. For a tea shop and confectionery like Flurys, it will obviously be great as our patrons are used to staying connected while on the go,“ said Singh.

Wi-Fi will free Net-users from the bondage of restricted connectivity promises to bring about a significant change, especially for youngsters. Students could be surfing the Net even in college corridors and canteens. “It will be so much easier with Wi-Fi. We won’t need to carry a dongle any more,“ said Srobona Basu, a St. Xavier’s student.

Tourists from abroad are delighted as well. “Free data services will obviously be a blessing for budget travellers like me. I guess hundreds of travellers will be benefitted for many check into hotels near Park Street where the service is going to be available. Voice calls are expensive so we look for cheap Internet access,” said Corline, a tourist from Canada.

Dealers of smart devices are looking forward to the roll-out with optimism. A Wi-Fi enabled city will definitely encourage more to log on to the Internet, they feel. But they also realize that the impact may not be immediate. “This is tailor-made for youngsters who love to stay connected on the move. Now everyone has a smartphone. More will now opt for larger Internet-enabled devices like tablets,“ predicted Pulkit Vaid, Director, Great Eastern Appliances.

Kapil Gupta, owner of Konnect, another city electronic outlet, felt connectivity could be an issue in the initial stages. “With so many logging in at the same time, the network can get clogged. Most potential users are Net subscribers already. So, they will be tempted to gauge the quality of service and also the charges. In case both are good, there’s no reason why people won’t be availing the service,“ said Gupta.

IIT-Kharagpur professor AN Samanta was upbeat with the prospect of a Wi-Fi environment, but he sounded cautious. “It will help those carrying smartphones and laptops, but security remains a concern. I hope the government will take care of security issues.”

Business meet to promote Industry in North Bengal

Posted on January 13, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

WB CM Ms Mamata Banerjee will chair a business meet on 19 Jannuary 2015, at Uttar Kanya, Siliguri. North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb informed that about 500 industrialists will be present in the meet. The meet will discuss the prospects for development of industry in the 7 districts of North Bengal.

The focus areas will be to set up environment friendly “Green Industry”.

An education hub and IT hub will be created near Siliguri.

The business meet will be also to promote tea industry, jute industry and tobacco industry.

A Safari park near Sevok is being constructed with an investment of about Rs 250 crore.

A mega tourist hub is under construction at Gajoldoba, 30 km from Siliguri. The project is estimated to involve an investment in the tune of Rs 2500 crore.

One of the leading beverage companies has promised an investment of Rs 200 crores in the coming years.

The Coochbehar airport will start its operation within the first half of 2015.

A MoU has been signed in the recently concluded Bengal Global Summit, 2015 with the Ambuja group which will set up 5 star resorts at Makaibari tea estate, Kurseong, Ghoom, Darjeeling, Lataguri and Gorumara forest.

Income generated by NBSTC (North Bengal State Transport Corporation) has now increased to 8 crores, but a monthly target of 10 crores has been set up.