The Bengal Government publication, West Bengal, has published a special supplement (February-May 2018), titled Development at its Best Wins the Panchayat.
The issue focuses on the development in various sectors in Bengal that have been brought about by the Trinamool Congress Government.
The supplement has been brought out in both English and Bengali.
The English version of the book can be accessed by clicking here.
GST refunds to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore are still pending for exporters, the West Bengal Finance Minister, Dr Amit Mitra, has said.
Nearly 3,00,000 refund applications have been received since the roll-out of the GST regime on July 1. Around 35-40 per cent of these applications have to be physically verified since the GST Network (or GSTN) is not in place, Dr Mitra alleged.
Auto verification would have ensured faster clearance of documents and quicker refunds.
“GSTN is still not in place and delay in auto verification of documents has delayed refunds for exporters,” the Finance Minister said during a press conference organised by WBIDC in Kolkata on Monday.
Dr Mitra pointed out that physical verification of documents are now being done by officials and this can give rise to a set of “inspector-raaj”.
“We will take up the matter with the GST council. Moreover, I have been saying this for quite some time that GSTN is not at all ready. And the result is this Rs 25,000 crore export dues,” he said.
Much to the delight of forest lovers, the State Forest Department, for the first time, has decided to keep selective portions of various forests in northern Bengal open for tourists during the monsoon season, that is, from mid-June to mid-September.
Usually, the entire forest areas remain closed for tourists from June 16 to September 15. On demand from many tour operators, resort owners and transport operators, who have in turn listened to requests by tourists, the department has decided to keep certain areas open.
There is something special about the natural beauty of forests during the rainy season and many tourists are keen to witness this. The green of the forests acquires a special glow during this time of the year.
Kalipur Jungle Camp, Dhupjhora Eco Tourism Camp under Gorumara National Park, Panjora Jungle Camp, Murti Jungle Camp, Hornbill Jungle Camp and Chukchuki Watchtower, which are also located in close proximity of Gorumara, will be kept open, including the route in Chapramari forest from the entrance gate to the watchtower.
The Dakshin Khayerbari Tiger Rescue Centre and Mendabari Jungle Camp under Jaldapara National Park and areas like Sikiajhora Eco Tourism Centre, Poro Eco Park, Buxa Fort, Jayanti, etc. under Buxa forest will also remain open for tourists.
It may be mentioned that the season from June to September is also the mating season for many animals. Hence, the department would ensure that no disturbance is created for the animals. Therefore, no jeep safari or elephant safari will be allowed inside the forests.
A number of species of animals like tigers, rhinoceros and elephants make their habitat in the forests of the Dooars. Other animals include various types of deer, bison, birds and reptiles.
Source: Millennium Post
The State Police wants to introduce more modern policing methods. Towards that end, it has planned to completely re-do its website as well as remodel its social media approach.
The website is being completely overhauled. The various district police administrations as well as the State’s railway police administrations will be linked to the website. All information will be updated, including important cases solved and the list of most wanted criminals.
As for social media (Facebook and Twitter especially), the plan is to regularly post updates regarding various activities and fight fake news actively. The latter is becoming increasingly important in the field of cyber-policing.
The idea is also to examine the ways Kolkata Police has successfully built up a large following on its social media accounts and implement certain relevant ideas.
Source: Ei Samay
The State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister has announced the setting up of a first-of-its-kind autism township project in Bengal.
At the press conference, he also said investment proposals worth Rs 39,000 crore have come in the urban development and infrastructure sector during the just-concluded Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS).
According to the minister, the autism township will not only be the first such in India but in the entire world. There will be a hospital, a residential complex, a school, a day-care centre, a conference hall and training facilities, all pertaining to autism, under one roof.
The township will come up on 50 acres in Shirakole on Diamond Harbour Road, near Usthi in the South 24 Parganas district. It will be constructed by a private company at an investment of Rs 600 crore, and will be ready within four years.
The joint managing managing director of the company has said that it is also planning to set up a college which will churn out qualified professionals working in the area of autism.
Source: Millennium Post
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written a strong letter to the Union Ministry of Steel against the Central Government’s decision to shift the headquarters of Hindustan Steelworks Limited, a profitable PSU, from Kolkata to New Delhi.
Not just that, there are also plan to lay off a large number of workers, including many permanent ones. Naturally, they are very worried and the people’s Chief Minister has not held back at expressing her deep discontent at this decision.
The issue was earlier raised by Trinamool Congress in the Lok Sabha too but no satisfactory answer came from the Central Government. The Labour Commissioner had also hauled up the management of the company for the decision of laying off workers, but the management has not responded.
Not just writing a letter, the Chief Minister has instructed her party’s MPs to again raise the issue in Parliament.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written a strong letter to the Union Commerce & Industry Ministry regarding the Central Government’s decision to sell off Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a company with a long and illustrious history.
Though it was not doing well for some time, in the last few years it has turned around quite a bit. The company earned profits during the 2016-17 fiscal, which almost doubled during the 2017-18 fiscal (an increase of 97.5 per cent). In this state of things, what is needed is more help from the Centre rather than selling it off.
Hence, the Chief Minister has written in the letter that the decision to sell it off should be immediately taken back. She has also written that the Bengal Government would provide all manner of help to build Bengal Chemicals up into a Maharatna company.
The company also has units in Mumbai and Kanpur. The Centre had previously too tried to sell the company. It was mainly Mamata Banerjee’s efforts which prevented that from happening.
Another point raised by the Chief Minister in her letter is the fact that the Kolkata High Court is yet to decide on the case filed by the workers and unions of the company against the Centre’s decision to sell it off.
Then, the company is engaged in manufacturing fair-priced essential goods for the common people. Hence, it can never be termed a ‘low-priority enterprise’, as the Centre has signified it.
Mamata Banerjee in her letter has also written about the illustrious history of the company and its crucial role in the movement for Indian-made goods during the colonial period.
All in all, the Chief Minister, through coherent arguments, has clearly indicated in the letter that it is an absolutely wrong decision to sell off Bengal Chemicals, as it is a profitable company now.
Children have been an area of special focus for the Trinamool Congress Government. Under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bengal has been among the best performers in terms of infant mortality rate, and under-5 mortality rate, and in institutional delivery too.
The State Government has a comprehensive maternal leave structure. However, the importance of fathers during the phase of the birth of a child and during the period following that has been recognised too by the Government.
Following the initiative of Mamata Banerjee, the Bengal Government has shown the way to other States by instituting paternity-cum-child care leave in 2016. A cumulative period of 30 days is granted for the purpose for all State Government employees, Panchayat & other Local Bodies, Boards, sponsored/non-Govt aided Schools and Colleges, State-aided Universities & Companies, Corporations, Undertakings, etc.
The image is representative (Source)
The State Government is planning to construct to more flyovers to ease congestion in Kolkata.
One is a 4.8 km flyover, from Rajabazar tram depot to Baghbazar Bata, passing through Maniktala, Khanna and Shyambazar. Once they are constructed, the vehicular loads on the roads of north Kolkata will be reduced a lot.
The other covers a distance of 6.2 km, from Tala Bridge to Dunlop. It will pass through Chiria More and Sinthee More along the way. From Dunlop, the flyover will bifurcate, with one heading to Dakshineswar and the other to Barrackpore.
Both the flyovers are being planned to be of six lanes. The Public Works Department (PWD) will submit a detailed project report (DPR) within two months. It wants the projects to happen on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis. The construction agency will be selected on the basis of a tender.
The cost of construction of the two flyovers together is estimated to be Rs 1,960 crore.
These two are among the nine flyovers across Kolkata announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the inauguration of the Garden Reach flyover in March that are to be constructed over the next three to four years.
Source: The Statesman
The Trinamool Congress Government has always stressed on the need for voluntary donation of blood. Through the year the party conducts, through its various frontal organisations and wings, blood donation camps across all the districts, including in Kolkata.
The State Government also encourages various clubs, NGOs and even corporate to organise and participate in blood donation efforts.
At certain times of the year, like during the hot summer months, there is an extra need for blood. Hence during this time more camps are organised.
During the sixth anniversary celebrations of the Trinamool Congress Government last year, a blood donation camp was organised at the state secretariat, Nabanna on May 27. Similar camps were organised in all the districts, down to the panchayat level, and also at police stations. Various clubs had also participated.
The State Government has also been steadily improving the infrastructure of blood banks. Last October, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had inaugurated three more blood banks – two in south Bengal and one in the north. The blood banks were set up in Panskura in Purba Medinipur district, Gopiballavpur in Paschim Medinipur district and Chanchal in Malda district. All the three are located inside multi super-speciality hospitals, a brainchild of the Chief Minister.
With the completion of these three, the number of State Government-run blood banks has risen to 70. Combined with private blood banks, the total number is 131.
To cater to the increasing demand for blood components, like plasma, platelets, etc., the Government set up four more platelet separation units last year – at Nadia and Asansol District Hospitals, Cooch Behar MGN Hospital and Murshidabad Medical College Hospital – bringing the total number of component separation units in State Government hospitals to 17.
Then, information about supplies of blood in the blood banks of Bengal, be they Government or private – how many units of which blood group are available – can now be had online. This service, called e-raktkosh, [may hyperlink http://www.eraktkosh.in/BLDAHIMS/bloodbank/nearbyBBRed.cnt] facilitated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was also inaugurated last year.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has also set up its first blood bank – at 242, Kalighat Road. This step is meant to help not only the city residents but people from all over the State, especially the poor, who cannot afford high prices.
