Tag: wb government

WB FM holds fruitful meeting in Delhi, 38 projects cleared

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West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee, during her 3-day visit to the National Capital, held a meeting on Monday with the Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar regarding clearance for several investment proposals for the State.

State Finance and Industries Minister, Dr Amit Mitra followed up with the Union Minister on the status of projects submitted for clearance.

Thirty eight projects cleared

“These projects, once cleared, will generate a lot of investment to the State and create huge employment opportunities,” said Dr Mitra.

During the meeting, the Union Minister informed Dr Amit Mitra that the Centre has cleared 38 projects which include 5 State PSU projects, 19 private projects and 14 Central PSU projects. These projects were cleared with the effort of the State government.

 

List of Central PSU projects include:

  • ONGC – 4 projects
  • NTPC – 1 project
  • IISCO – 2 projects
  • DVC – Bankura Project
  • Eastern Coal Fields Ltd
  • Durgapur Steel Expansion among others

 

List of Private projects include:

  • Larsen & Tubro Power Development Ltd
  • Orissa Metaliks Pvt Ltd
  • Rashmi Cement Ltd
  • Rashmi Mitaliks Ltd
  • Bengal Emta Coal Mines Ltd
  • Alpine Distilleries Pvt Ltd among others

 

Mega Ganga cleaning project

The State government has also submitted a proposal worth Rs 13000 crore to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for cleaning the Ganga.

The mega Ganga cleaning plan involves 41 municipalities (for solid waste management), 780 industrial units (for affluent treatment). A report has been submitted to the Centre urging it to clear it through the NGT.

When it comes to environmental responsibility, the West Bengal Government has been proactive; the Ganga cleaning proposal is a perfect example of a concrete step taken by the government.

Gross Value Added of Bengal 10.48% in 2014-15

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West Bengal Finance Minister Dr Amit Mitra presented the Bengal Budget 2015 today at the West Bengal Assembly. Making a large leap this Financial Year, Bengal Government is aiming to jump a growth of 10.48% GSDP in 2015-16.

In a press conference after the announcement of this years budget the Chief Minister proudly said: “This is a people’s budget. This was a Budget for Maa, Mati, Manush.”

Here are the highlights of Dr Amit Mitra’s speech: 

  • Maa Mati Manush has confirmed their faith on our leader Mamata Banerjee time and again, Bengal economy is moving in a new direction
  • Bengal’s Gross Value Added Growth is 10.48%, while for the Nation it is 7.5%
  • Capital Expenditure growth: In 2010-11 it grew at  a negative 26%, in 2012-12 positive 24%, 2012-13, positive 63% and in 2013-14 positive 52%
  • Planned Expenditure has been a record double in 2 years
  • Bengal has a huge debt, in 2013-14, Rs 28,000 crore deducted
  • In the last 3 years more than 1 lakh crore has been deducted from the treasury
  • Food and storage capacity has been raised 9 times  in last 3 years from 40,000 MT
  • 95 Kisan Bazars have been planned, 84 are already running
  • To protect Food Security, 91,000 false ration cards have been cancelled
  • The number of digital ration cards have touched 7.8 crore numbers. This is an unprecedented success
  • West Bengal secured the top position in the 100 Days Work Scheme
  • The State Govt set up 25 lakh toilets in the last 3 years in households and schools
  • In Nijo Bhumi Nijo Griho scheme, 2 lakh 30 thousand pattas were distributed
  • For the economically challenged section, we have been able to increase the housing by 3 times
  • Under ‘Gitanjali’ scheme and ‘Amar Thikana Abason’ scheme 93,852 people and expenditure increased by 7.5 times
  • In Jal Bharo Jal Dharo scheme, 1,18,000 ponds were dug, target was 50,000
  • The supply of Drinking Water has increased by 252% in the last 3 years. The expenditure was Rs 470 crore (2010-11). We have started 615 projects for the rural water projects, which is double from 2010-11
  • We set up 95 Fair Price Medicine Shops from which 1 Cr 30 lakh people benefited worth Rs 364 crore.
  • 418 new primary schools and 1438 HS schools have been set up
  • 1618 Madhyamik schools upgraded to HS schools
  • 319 Junior schools upgraded to Madhyamik schools
  • 85,000 new classrooms set up in schools of West Bengal
  • There were 13 Universities in West Bengal since 1947, in 3 years we have set up another 13
  • There were 32 new colleges since 1947, we set up 40 new colleges in 3 years, since 2011, 43 new ITIs set up besides the 83 present, new 92 ITIs are underway
  • Since Independence only 62 ITIs are there. In the last 3 years we have set up 34 new ITIs and 32 new ITIs are coming
  • Among the minority community Rs 1392 Crore given as scholarships to 65 lakh needy students, which is 8 times than the previous Government
  • 22 lakh girl child have been registered in Kanyashree scheme and 20 lakh girl child already benefited
  • West Bengal has been in the top position in Skill Development in 2013 and 2014
  • Online registration for obtaining caste certificates started of which 2.74 lakh caste certificates of Tapashili caste are already distributed
  • The number of cycles given to tribal students is 10 times more than the previous Government
  • 45 lakh Unorganised Sector workers brought under the ambit of social security benefits
  • Rs 359 Cr has been given to 12 lakh workers in Unorganised Sector as social security benefits, which is 40 times more than the amount spent in 2001-2011.
  • Before 2011, there was 385 km rural roads, during 2013-14, the length increased by 4 times to 2631 km, 1270 kms converted to two lanes and 2672 kms broadened
  • The expenditure on roads and bridges have increased by 3 times
  • The Asian Highway 2 connecting Nepal border with Bangladesh border  worth Rs 600 crores and Asian Highway 48 connecting Bhutan border with Bangladesh border worth Rs 900 crore have already commenced
  • Birth-death certificates, trade license etc are to be given through online portal in municipal areas.
  • Rs 3420 crore has been given for 22 new townships. Investment proposal worth Rs 76000 crore received
  • The new district, Alipurduar created, Uttar Kanya, the North Bengal Secretariat set up
  • Uttar Banga Business Summit received proposal of Rs 2200 crore for investments and another Rs 1700 crore in MSME
  • Special emphasis is given in the 74 backward blocks of the 5 districts of western region. Out of the 260 project, work for 152 schemes have already been completed
  • For irrigation, a new project ‘Krishi Bandhu’ worth Rs 500 crore set up.
  • In Tourism, Planned Expenditure increased 20 times from 2010-11 to Rs 223 crore in 2014-15
  • New international carriers have started services like Dragon Air, Silk Air
  • Air Traffic at Bagdogra and Asansol have increased
  • 874 new buses are now on the roads boosting transport
  • Eco Park, International Convention Center set up at Rajarhat
  • Sales Tax has been reduced  for Aviation Turbine Fuel
  • For Kolkata airports sales tax over fuel reduced from 30% to 15%. The measures have helped to increase
  • 8 IT parks are on the verge of competition, another 7 are coming up. 2 electronic manufacturing hub have been sanctioned and one hardware park will be set up within 2015
  • In case of ‘big industries’ the investment under implementation or already implemented stands at Rs 84,211 crore from the stage F0 to F6, as i have explained earlier in the Assembly
  • In addition to this investment proposals worth Rs 55855 crore has been received earlier, and in the Bengal Global Business Summit proposal of Rs 2,43,000 crore have veen received, thus making a total of Rs 3,00,000 crore.
  • The bank lending to MSME has grown to a record high of Rs 40,713 crore, which is about 3 times.
  • In 2012-13 and 2013-14, this growth rate is the highest in India
  • The number of MSME clusters have increased by 3 times from 54 to 161
  • 531075 numbers of weavers identity card have been provided

 

Allocations 

– Food & Supplies – Rs 202 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 175.2 crore in 2014-15

– Agriculture Rs 1500 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 1157 crore in 2014-15

– Food Processing –  Rs 138 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 120 crore in 2014-15

– Water Supply –  Rs 450 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 356.85 crore in 2014-15

– Fisheries –  Rs 218.1 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 196 crore in 2014-15

– Irrigation  –  Rs 2041 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 1872.49 crore in 2014-15

– Water Resources –  Rs 528 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 466.52 crore in 2014-15

– Forest –  Rs 271 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 225 crore in 2014-15

– Health – Rs 2580 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 2211 crore in 2014-15

– School Education  – Rs 8055 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 6844 crore in 2014-15

– Women Dev – Rs 863.98 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 720.76 crore in 2014-15

– Labour – Rs 250 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 220 crore in 2014-15

– Sports – Rs 180 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 142 crore in 2014-15

– Youth Dev – Rs 160 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 130 crore in 2014-15

– Home – Rs 273 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 245 crore in 2014-15

– Culture – Rs 200 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 165 crore in 2014-15

– Urban Dev – Rs 1895 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 1585 crore in 2014-15

– Transport – Rs 450 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 400 crore in 2014-15

– Child Dev – Rs 2809 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 2420 crore in 2014-15

– Electricity – Rs 1295 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 1174 crore in 2014-15

– Municipal Affairs – Rs 2464 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 2251 crore in 2014-15

– Minority Dev – Rs 2033 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 1737 crore in 2014-15

– Backward Class Welfare – Rs 483 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 377 crore in 2014-15

– North Bengal Dev – Rs 450  crore in 2015-16 from Rs 375 crore in 2014-15

– Sundarbans Dev – Rs 370 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 300 crore in 2014-15

– MSME – Rs 618 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 536 crore in 2014-15

– Industry and Business – Rs 653.5 crore in 2015-16 from Rs 544 crore in 2014-15

  • WB received CSI Award for governance and ranked 1st in the category ‘Excellence in e-Governance’
  • VAT registration threshold has been increase from 5 lakhs to 10 lakhs, 20000 small business to be benefited
  • A host of steps to simplify VAT registration, appeal, refund etc taken up
  • Input Tax Credit to be extended to the manufacturers
  • Threshold of additional stamp duty for registering properties raised to Rs 40 lakh instead of Rs 30 lakh
  • Entertainment Tax relief increased to Rs 100 for music show, magic shows
  • 20 lakh hectres of new land to be brought under irrigation
  • The scholarship for Kanyashree raised to Rs 750 from Rs 500
  • The pensions for Samajik Mukti Card holders have been increased in various steps
  • Transport Workers are from now on entitled to avail Samajik Mukti Cards
  • 10 years of Tax Relief will be given to providers of Green Electricity
  • In the last year, we could create 16.6 lakh employment, in the coming year expecting 17.5 lakh employment

WB Govt formulates index for irrigation water distribution

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To serve the farmers in a more effective way, State Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee and his department has formulated a water index wherein the farmers will be made aware about the source and time frame of availability of irrigation water. This system will be launched for Rabi and Boro cultivation this year.

The state’s various water projects have been brought under this programme. Water from rivers, dams, underground sources among others will be made available for cultivation through canals and drainage network.

Water distribution for the Rabi cultivation has already started. In 18 districts over 100 blocks 5,10,182 acres of land will be covered as per this index for the Rabi season. For Boro season this area will be 2,49,524 acres. A detailed programme has been chalked out under the slogan ‘Secher Jol, Chashir Bol’.

WB CM inaugurates Bangla Sangeet Mela

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West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee  inaugurate the annual ‘Bangla Sangeet Mela’ today at Nazrul Mancha. She holds highest regards for artists and their art. She has announced several awards to felicitate artists connected to various form of art from time to time. Keeping with the practice, she also gave away ‘Sangeet Samman’ and ‘Sangeet Maha Samman’.

Various singers will perform at different venues across the city namely Rabindra Sadan, Sisir Mancha, Deshapriya Park, Princep Memorial, Phanibhushan Vidyavinod Jatra Mancha, Hedua Park, Madhusudan Mancha, Rabindra Tirtha between 13 to 19 February 2015.

An exhibition paying tribute to Sachin Dev Burman, Kishore Kumar and Rahul Dev Burman will also be held during this time at Gaganendra Pradarsasala.

The closing ceremony of Bangla Sangeet Mela will be held on 19 February 2015 at Rabindra Sadan with a whole night of musical function. The event is being organised by Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal.

Highlights of her speech from today: 

  • We will give away Sangeet Samman and Sangeet Maha Samman today. Sangeet Mela will continue for 7 days
  • We will honour people associated with music from all over the world
  • We gave the first Sangeet Samman to Manna Dey, Sandhya Mukherjee and Dwijen da
  • I went to Bangalore personally to honour Manna Dey. He said he was touched to have been honoured by Bengal
  • Those who are being honoured today are matchless. They have their own identity
  • We are paying tributes to Rahul Dev Barman this year
  • We should prepare a handbook of all the artists who have performed in various art forms – be it music or films
  • The handbook of the artists will be released on Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year)
  • Kolkata is the cultural capital of the world
  • Let music bring us all together. We are honoured to have been able to honour those who are present here
  • We have artists from Darjeeling, jhumur artists here today. My best wishes to all

 

List of recipients:

Sangeet Mahasamman:

Kabir Suman
Bickram Ghosh
Tanmoy Ghosh
Swapan Gupta
Pramita Mullick

 

Jatiyo Sangeet Samman:

Anjali Mahata
Swapan Basu
Shibaji Chattopadhay
Pratap Ray
Dhritiman
Santanu Roy Chowdhury
Chironjee Sherpa
Kalikaprosad
Sraboni Sen
Antora Chowdhury
Saikat Mitra
Swapna Chakrobarty
Proikrit
Gautam Ghosh
Anupam Roy

Atletico de Kolkata`s victory will inspire youngsters to play football: WB CM

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WB Government, along with Kolkata Municipal Corporation felicitated team Atletico de Kolkata today at Netaji Indoor Stadium. She said it was her dream to see Kolkata host the World Cup Football in future.

At a gala event, WB CM presented the team with a trophy. A galaxy of stars, sportspersons and a sea of humanity was witness to the felicitation of Atletico de Kolkata.

Highlights of WB CM’s speech:

  • I welcome all the delegates and guests present here today. We are missing Sourav today.
  • My best wishes to the youth and sports lovers in Bengal.
  • We convey our best wishes to all the eight teams and organisers of ISL. We won the battle but they played well.
  • I am happy to announce we are ready to handover Rabindra Sarovar to AIFF. We have beautified the area around Rabindra Sarovar.
  • Let us prepare the infrastructure for the World Cup Under 17 Tournament from now.We are ready to give land in Rajarhat to build a football stadium of international standards.
  • It is my dream to see World Cup Football being held in Kolkata.
  • Sob khelar sera, Banglar ei football. We have to groom budding sportspersons.
  • We convey our best wishes to those who are trying to popularise football at grassroots level.
  • We love Kolkata. We are proud of you Team Kolkata. Thank you so much.
  • This victory will inspire many youngsters to play football.
  • Wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.