Saugata Roy opposes the introduction of The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017

Posted on August 10, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, Rule 74 states, when a Bill is introduced or on some subsequent occasion, the member in charge may make one of the following motions in regard to one’s own Bill, namely:—

(i) that it be taken into consideration; or
(ii) that it be referred to a Select Committee of the House; or
(iii) that it be referred to a Joint Committee of the Houses with the concurrence of the Council; or
(iv) that it be circulated for the purpose of eliciting opinion thereon:

Provided that no such motion as is referred to in clause (iii) shall be made with reference to a Bill 4[if it contains only provisions dealing with all or any of the matters specified in sub-clauses (a) to (g) of clause (1) of article 110 of the Constitution]:

Provided further that no such motion shall be made until after copies of the Bill have been made available for the use of members, and that any member may object to any such motion being made unless copies of the Bill have been so made available for two days before the day on which the motion is made and such objection shall prevail, unless the Speaker allows the motion to be made.

Here the Minister is referring to a Joint Select Committee under Rule 74(iii). My colleague had explained in detail as to how the whole principal of Standing Committee’s is being circumvented, superseded, bypassed by the Government in its quest to get majority in both Houses.

The same thing actually happened in the case of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. I remember when that Bill was brought in Lok Sabha I objected saying that it should not be passed. Then the Government felt that it would not get a majority in the Rajya Sabha. So they sent it to a Joint Select Committee, the fear being that it will not be passed in Rajya sabha. If the Joint Select Committee presents a report, then both Houses get morally bound by it.

Now in the whole process we are weakening the foundation of the Standing Committee system. Normally the practice is that, any legislation concerning any ministry, any department is automatically referred to a Standing Committee, unless it is a small amendment or an inconsequential amendment. Any Bill of a substantial nature is referred to the Standing Committee. As my esteemed colleague Bhartruhari Mahtab has so eloquently stated, that process should not be given a go by.

We have no complaint about the personnel of the Bill because we ourselves are members of both the Committees. We are conscious of the power of the Standing Committee. We have a Finance Committee headed by Veerappa Moily who has given important reports on most of the matters. Why should that Standing Committee be bypassed, be insulted, be overridden by the Government’s desire to bring a Bill?

And then look out how the Bills are coming. On the last but one day, you are bringing a Bill and then a Motion without any scope of discussion. Like, in the earlier Bill, our esteemed colleague NK Premachandran spoke eloquently on how he had no time to study the Bill so that proper opposition to introduction can be made.

You are sitting in the Chair, Sir, and you have long parliamentary experience. Please see that the niceties of parliamentary behaviour are maintained by the Government. If the Chair does not protect us, who will protect the House? Who will protect the Constitution? Who will protect the Rules?

That is why, we seek refuge in your infinite powers from the Chair to support us.

Thank you.

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy speaks on The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Posted on August 10, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, I would like to record my dissent about the way the Bill is being discussed today and possibly in the past too. Everyday in the media, it is said that parliamentarians are not serious, they do not want to discuss Bills, etc. But we want to discuss. This Parliament is essentially made for legislation, and not for functions, ceremonies, etc. With this note, I would like to speak on this Bill.

First of all, the objective of this Bill in one line: It seeks to authorise the Reserve Bank of India to issue directions to any banking company or, companies, to effectively use the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code for the timely resolution of stressed assets. Here, I have a doubt – whether at all there will be time-bound results after imposition of this Financial Bankruptcy Code.

It is true that the NPA has grown alarmingly in recent years. As per the estimates in March 2017, the gross operating profit of the 21 PSU banks taken together stood at Rs 1,50, 240, but the net profit was only Rs 574 crore; whereas the gross NPAs of these PSU banks is Rs 6,05,991 crore. This is highly alarming, there is no doubt about it.

But the question is, whether there would be any impact of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. So far, the results have come up short of being achieved in a time-bound manner and am constrained to say that no, this objective cannot be achieved. Due to the lack of time, I cannot go through the each and every provision of this Bill. But the Bill has essentially created enormous scope for more and more, and unending litigations.

I am giving one example. Recently the Government advised the RBI to initiate proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code against 12 defaulting account holders, and one such defaulting account-holder has got attested from the High Court and all proceedings against the entity have been stayed; for years together this will continue. In this way, each and every big fish has eaten up public money from the banks.

Now, there are 550 large NPA accounts, not 12. Naresh ji told us about 12; it is, maybe, 25 per cent of the total NPA but there are 550, according to the estimates of the RBI, as it appeared in newspapers. Hence, according to me the, amendments will help the big fishes who have eaten our public money rather than help in the recovery of valuable assets of the people of India.

As per RBI guidelines, criminal proceedings can be drawn against wilful defaulters. There are circulars, master circulars of RBI, there are a number of circulars whereby the RBI has directed banks to initiate criminal proceedings. I would request, through you, the Hon. Finance Minister, to inform this House about how many criminal proceedings have/had been initiated against those big fishes so far. This House wants to know, because the Hon. Finance Minister is also on record saying that criminal proceedings will be drawn against those defaulting – those who have committed a fraud, those who have siphoned off money through loans. If at all, how many criminal procedures have been initiated? Why is the Government shying away from naming those people?

The Government has pleaded before the apex court that, please for God’s sake, don’t reveal the identities of those people. Why this double standard? Can the Government place before the House, why has it not initiated any move to amend the archaic RBI Act of 1934 and the archaic Banking Regulation Act of 1949, whereby some draconian provisions have been made, enabling the RBI and the banks from disclosing or parting with any commercial information? The time has come for the Government to make a move to amend those archaic provisions, those draconian provisions of the archaic Acts? This is my demand before this Government, through you.

Now I’m giving you other examples: there are not only 12, but other defaulters that the RBI did not name, that the media has speculated about – 15 to 16 names, including Essar, Bhushan, Lanko, Videocon, Punj Lloyd, Electrosteel Steels, Aban Holdings, ABG Shipyards, Monnet Ispat, and other notorious names. Among them, one has run away, not Mallya, but another gentleman who has run away from this country, and he has taken the citizenship of St Kitts; and with St Kitts, the Indian Government has no extradition treaty, and so it cannot bring him back to this country and produce him before a court. So this is what is happening. This is why I say that this Amendment will do nothing. It will come with a big zero – with zero results, and that is why I oppose this Bill in its entirety.

Thank You, Sir.

Saugata Roy speaks during a Calling Attention Motion on the flood situation prevailing in different parts of India

Posted on August 10, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you Madam. I thank the Home Minister for the detailed statement given by him. Although I am a little intrigued why the Home Minister should reply to a debate on floods during the Calling Attention Motion. This year, 24 States have been affected by floods, the most-affected being Gujarat, Assam, Rajasthan and Bengal.

One thing that has been pointed out by the CAG is that India’s flood forecast capability is a washout. We have not been able to forecast floods at all. Now I go to the statement in detail. Before that I may mention that in the whole country, the maximum number of people killed is in Gujarat – 229. Bengal is second at 149, Maharashtra, third at 105, and Assam, fourth at 84. About crops washed away, Gujarat is at the top, over an area of 8.91 lakh acres; Rajasthan is second at 8.34 and Bengal is third at 4.23.

I want to bring to the notice of the House that there has been rainfall in all parts of the country but in Bengal it is totally a man-made flood. It has happened in six districts of Bengal due to the release of water from the barrages of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), which is under the Central Government. The State Government has repeatedly appealed to the DVC to desilt its reservoirs in Tilaiya, Maithon and Panchet, but it has done nothing about the matter.

When the heavy rainfall started, Bengal had repeatedly appealed to the DVC to not to release water. The Chief Minister herself spoke to the DVC authorities and requested them not to release all the water at one go; but they still released the water. As a result, six districts of Bengal are badly flooded. And as I told you 129 people have died and 4.23 lakh acres of crops have been washed away. You would be surprised, Madam, that the maximum number of houses destroyed is in Bengal – 1,43,000 – as compared to 26,000 in Assam.

The Prime Minister visited Gujarat, which is all right; it is his home State which is badly affected. He also visited Assam, which is run by the ruling party. It is a good thing. The Ministers of State visited Assam and Arunachal Pradesh but none of the big honchos from the Central Government visited our unfortunate State of Bengal. While the Prime Minister announced a rehabilitation package for Gujarat, Assam and the north-eastern States, no package has been announced for Bengal till date. We feel unfortunate, left out, and we wonder in our minds whether we have been the victims of political discrimination.

My question to the Honourable Minister is direct:

A. Will the Union Government take proper steps for desilting the dams of Damodar Valley Corporation and also control the release of water from dams and barrages which are controlled by the Central Government’s Damodar Valley Corporation?

B. Will the Union Government announce any package for Bengal for relief and rehabilitation, and for recovery and restoration of embankments that are being washed away?

Our Chief Minister met Rajnath Singh ji the other day; she wanted to meet the Prime Minister but that day the Prime Minister was visiting Gujarat. I hope that Bengal will get relief from the Central Government and not feel politically discriminated against.

Thank you, Madam.

Satabdi Roy asks a question on support for women cricket players

Posted on August 10, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Madam, the male cricketers get ads; they have IPL and many other benefits. Women cricketers play for this country. Their fight is the same. But when it comes to money, their share is so less. We must talk about equality.

I would request the Minister to introduce some support for the women cricketers so that they are equal to their male counterparts. Thank you.

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy speaks during discussion on the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement

Posted on August 9, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you Sir. Bombay ki Gwalior Tank Maidan mein Congress ka jab aitihasik adhibesan huwa, us mein Nehru Ji resolution move karte huwe unhone bola, and I quote, “We shall fight to the finish”. Aur Gandhi Ji unke valedictory address mein unhone bola, and I quote, “Here is a Mantra, a short one that I give you. You may imprint it on your heart, and let every breath of yours give expression to it. The Mantra is, Do or, Die, karenge ya marenge. British quit India, Angrej Bharat chhoro.”

Congress ko ban kiya gaya. Sare neta aur ek lakh se adhik Congress workers ko sara Hindustan mein pakda gaya. Lekin jaise ki Ram Gopal Ji ne bataya, Jai Prakash Narayan, Achyut Patwardhan, hamare Ram Manohar Lohiya Ji aur Biju Patnayak, Sucheta Kripalini – aise bohot saare neta unhone underground chale gaye.

Leaflets se instruction diya jata tha, yahan tak ki underground se, radio station se bhi instruction diya jata tha Usha Mehta ki netritwa mein, jo ki Bombay se kiya gaya. Aur is tarah sara Hindustan mein andolan fayl gaya.

Main do line padna chahata hoon ek purane leaflet se, jo ki Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee ne us samay issue kiya tha September 20, 1942 ko. Wo bol rahe hain is leaflet mein, “Hindustan ki azadi ki ladai chhir gayi hain. Aaj hum apne ko azaad samajhte hain, Aur British sarkar ko satta ko nehi mante hain. Isliye british sarkar ki kisi bhi kanoon aur hokum ko nehi manna chahiye. Aur us hukumat ke khilaf kya karna chahiye?”

30 bullet point mein unhone bata diya. Main do teen point bolna chahta hoon quote karke yahan se. “Shikshak aur vidyarthi school college chhor do”, “Wakil mokhtar kacheri jana chhor do”, “police paltan wale aur sarkari naukar, sarkari naukri chhor de”, “railway line ukhad diye jaye”, “bade bade pool tod diye jaye”, “taar aur telephone ke taar kat diya jaye” aur “sadak kat diye jaye”. To is tarah sara Hindustan yeh August Kranti Andolan mein uchhal gaye.

Sir, iske baad hum jante hain ki Maharashtra ki Satara mein jo ki Nana Patil, YB Chavan, aur Uttar Pradesh ki Ballya mein Chittu Pandey ki netritwa mein aur Bengal ke Tamluk mein Satish Samanta, Ajoy Mukherjee – in logone nationalist governments form kiya.

Sabse adhik samay teen saal se jyada Satara mein, teen saal chala Bangal mein aur kai mahino chala Ballya mein. Lekin, wahan woh Chittu, unhone jitney Congress karmi ko pakad liya tha sabko reha kar diya. Saare thane, adalat kabza kar liya gaya tha. Yeh yaadgar hai aur yeh yaadgar bane rahegi jab tak Hindustan ka tiranga phaylega Lal Kile par, tab tak yeh yaadgar bane rahegi.

Sir, main bolna chahhta hoon ki isi samaye jab yeh andolan khatam hone wala tha, us samay seema ke us par se Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose ki lalkar thi ‘Mujhe khoon do, main tumhe aazaadi doonga!’ aur Azad Hind Sena ki woh mahan krantikari log, woh kuch kar diya Dilli ke liye, nara lagaya, ‘Chalo Dilli, kadam, kadam badhaye jaa, tu sher-e Hind aage bar, marne se phir bhi tu na dar, aasman pe uhtha ke sar, josh-e-watan badhaye jaa!” Aur is tarah Hindustan ki azadi ka jo momentum create hua uske baad mein mutiny, naval mutiny ke baad INA trial hua Red Fort mein, yeh saare culminate kiya aur iske wajah se humko azaadi mila.

Yeh saare Hindustan ki janta ki ek aitihasik yogdan tha jis mein das hazar se adhik logon ko goli se uda diya gaya tha; lakhon logon ko jail bhej diya gaya tha aur is tarah Hindustan azad hua. Lekin hamein khed hai ki us samay bhi kuch vishwasghtak the! Mirzafar the, jo yeh andolan mein yogdan nahin kiya! Us samay bhi kuch party the jo 120 panne ka report bhej raha hai us zamane ke Home Secretary Watson ke paas ki main tumhare nirdesh par kaam kar raha hoon aur yeh August Kranti andolan ko barbaad karne ke liye har ek kadam utha raha hai. Bengal mein bhi us samaye jo mantri mandal the, mandal ke deputy chief minister jo ki ek party ka second-in-command thay, unhone Governor ko chitthi likh ke bola, ki yeh yeh humne karyavai kiya hai yeh August Kranti Andolan ko daman karne ke liye!

Aaj bhi humare desh mein aise vishwasghatak hai! Aise Mir Jafar hai, aur isliye humara bhaichara sankat mein pad gaye! Humara ekta sankat mein pad gaye, aur isliye humare netri Mamata Banerjee aaj ki is aitihasik din mein wohi Tamluk pe jaake, Midnapur mein jaake aam sabha sambodhit karengi aur naara uthayengi, BJP Bharat Chhoro (Bengali).

Jis tarah Angrezon ne divide and rule politics apnaya tha, us tarah hi BJP ne bhi divide and rule politics apanaya hai aur humla kar rahe hai humare buniyadi, humare buniyadi, star upar. Toh, aaj is avsar par main sare shahidon ko shraddhanjali deke apna vaktavya khatam karta hoon.

75 years of Quit India Movement: Trinamool MPs make stirring speeches in both Houses

Posted on August 9, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Trinamool MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sugata Bose made impressive speeches in both Houses of the Parliament during a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.

In Rajya Sabha

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy began his speech quoting Gandhi Ji’s iconic slogan, “Karenge ya marenge” and Nehru’s clarion call of “We shall fight to the finish” at Congress’s historic session in Bombay on August 8, 1942.

He referred to the contributions of several leaders – Jayprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Sucheta Kripalani among others – to the movement. He also read out portions from a leaflet issued by the Bihar Pradesh Congress in September, 1942.

He fondly remembered the clarion call of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, “Chalo Dilli”. He said this movement will stay alive in our hearts as long as the tricolour flies high atop the ramparts of Red Fort.

He also referred, with a heavy heart, to the Mir Jafars at that time, who colluded with the British to defeat the August Kranti Andolan. He said such Mir Jafars still exist in the country. He said BJP was following the British policy of ‘Divide and Rule’, against which Mamata Banerjee has launched the ‘BJP Bharat Chhoro’ movement at Tamluk, which saw active participation by people in the Quit India Movement.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF HIS SPEECH

WATCH HIS FULL SPEECH BY CLICKING HERE

In Lok Sabha

Sugata Bose, in his eloquent and stirring speech, called August 9 a ‘red letter day’ in Indian history. He reminisced how his own father was severely wounded as he led a procession of students on the streets of Calcutta in September, 1942.

He highlighted the role played by Adivasis and peasants. Netaji had wanted to be in India by August, 1942, he said. “Had the armed thrust of the Azad Hind Fauj coincided with the rebellion of the Quit India Movement, then the history of India might have taken an even more glorious turn,” he remarked.

Sugata Bose lamented that there was a “gap between sankalp and siddhi in 1947”. He said, “We got independent India but not united India.” He said that the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, and the 70th anniversary of independence, call for “soul-searching introspection, rather than chest-thumping celebration”.

“The final five and a half months of Gandhi Ji’s life constituted a message for the predicament we face in India today. Today we see irreligion masquerading as religion,” Sugata Bose said. He reminded the Government of Gandhi Ji’s message to the then Government in mid-November, 1947: “No Muslim in the Indian Union should feel his life unsafe”.

“The 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, and the 70th anniversary of freedom may be an apt occasion to ponder the relation between the past and the future, the old and the new,” was his message for the Prime Minister.

Sugata Bose also quoted Swami Vivekananda’s vision for India, one of religious harmony and tolerance. He quoted verses penned by Tagore – passages from the song which later was adopted as the National Anthem – to give a strong message against cow vigilantism and communal violence.

He appealed to the Prime Minister to “stop the engines of coercion on its tracks”. We need to be clear about what our sankalp is for 2022, he remarked and demanded “strong action against those who are spreading the poison of hatred and killing in the name of religion”.

We have to make sure we do not have a dominance of one community and one language, Sugata Bose said, adding: “We must counterpose an alternative and a better vision of a new India based on cultural intimacy of all communities of the country.”
“We must celebrate and respect our differences to rise above them. We must avoid all temptations to be chauvinistic and jingoistic,” was his message for his colleagues in the Lok Sabha.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF HIS SPEECH

WATCH HIS FULL SPEECH BY CLICKING HERE

Bengal CM criticises Opposition for fanning tension in the Hills, bats for talks

Posted on August 9, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday lashed out at the Opposition for fanning tensions in the Hills just for their vested interests. She gave a statement in the State Assembly on Tuesday in connection with the situations in the Hills.

She once again requested parties in Darjeeling Hills to shun violence so that common people could get some respite from the indefinite shutdown.

Urging the parties to hold discussions with the state government over its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland, the CM told the Assembly that schools, offices and tourism have come to a halt due to the bandh in the Hills and the region has suffered a loss of Rs 550 crore.

Mamata, according to PTI, said that Darjeeling had been a part of West Bengal and she will not allow its division, adding that time has come for election to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration as its five-year-term comes to an end.

বন্‌ধ প্রত্যাহার করলেই আলোচনা, দার্জিলিং প্রসঙ্গে বললেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী

দার্জিলিং পাহাড়ে আন্দোলনকারীদের সঙ্গে আলোচনায় প্রস্তুত রাজ্য সরকার। তবে আন্দোলনকারীদের আগে হিংসা ও বন্‌ধ প্রত্যাহার করতে হবে। গণতান্ত্রিক পদ্ধতি মেনে আলোচনার মাধ্যমেই এই পরিস্থিতির যে সুষ্ঠু মীমাংসা সম্ভব, সেটা আবার মনে করিয়ে দিলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা ব্যানার্জি।

মঙ্গলবার বিধানসভায় জিটিএ এবং দার্জিলিঙের সাম্প্রতিক পরিস্থিতি নিয়ে একটি লিখিত রিপোর্ট পেশ করতে গিয়ে বিধানসভায় এমন মনোভাব প্রকাশ করেছেন রাজ্যের মুখ্যমন্ত্রী। তিনি জানিয়েছেন, এখন পর্যন্ত পাহাড়ে ৫৫০ কোটি টাকার আর্থিক ক্ষতি হয়েছে।

মুখ্যমন্ত্রী বলেন, “দার্জিলিং ইস্যুতে বামপন্থীরা চিরকালই মানুষকে বিভ্রান্ত করছে। ভাষা নিয়ে কোনও বিজ্ঞপ্তি জারি হয়নি। ওটা বামপন্থীদের রটনা। দার্জিলিং পাহাড়ে গোর্খাল্যান্ডের দাবি বা অন্যান্য আন্দোলন বহুকাল আগে থেকেই চলছে। আমরা পরিস্থিতি ক্রমশ স্বাভাবিক করেছি। প্রতি ১০ বছর অন্তরই ওদের একটা আন্দোলন চাগিয়ে ওঠে। সাম্প্রতিক অতীতে গোর্খা জনমুক্তি মোর্চা পাহাড়ে সমর্থন হারাচ্ছিল। পুর নির্বাচনে তার ছায়া পড়েছিল। চুক্তি অনুসারে জিটিএ–‌র পাঁচ বছরের মেয়াদ শেষ হওয়ার মুখে। এবার সেখানে নির্বাচন হওয়ার কথা। এই পরিস্থিতিতে গোর্খা জনমুক্তি মোর্চা হারানো জমি পুনরুদ্ধারের জন্য গোর্খাল্যান্ডের দাবিতে নতুন করে আন্দোলন করছে। রাজ্য প্রশাসন যথেষ্ট সংযম ও ধৈর্যের পরিচয় দিচ্ছে। বিপুল আর্থিক ক্ষতি হয়েছে। সবচেয়ে বড় ক্ষতি মানুষের প্রাণহানি। তা–‌ও আমরা ওদের সঙ্গে আলোচনার মাধ্যমে পরিস্থিতি স্বাভাবিক রাখার জন্য দরজা খোলা রেখেছি।”

Will do everything to ease GST woes: Bengal CM

Posted on August 9, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre for destroying the federal structure of the country as the state governments were being forced to follow their (Centre’s) policies despite having objections.

The West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday passed the State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) Bill, 2017. Trinamool’s ideological position on GST would not alter, the Bengal CM said. “The common people are facing problems and since we value democracy the party will stand behind the masses,” she said speaking in the Assembly after the passing of the Bill.

“The Centre could have fed many poor people with the money which had gone in the ad spend for creating awareness about GST… The country is now in an acute crisis,” she said. The state had issued an ordinance in June end to facilitate treasury operations by the government from July 1, the date of implementation of the new tax regime across the country.

The Bengal CM said that the state government had “no option” but to issue the ordinance on GST as otherwise, the state would not have been able to conduct any treasury operation. “The state government is sitting before the nozzle of a gun and the central government machinations forced us to do that,” she said.

The Bengal Chief Minister said the state government was clearly against the hasty implementation of the new tax regime and had urged the Centre to postpone it by two months. “But we were really hard-pressed and so the ordinance had to be issued.” The government, she said, needed money to pay salaries, make developmental expenditure and others. As the ordinance had a definite lifetime, it had to be ultimately ratified by the Assembly. She said owing to many objections raised by state finance minister Amit Mitra at the GST Council meetings, taxes on many items of common use had been lowered.

On Trinamool’s stand, she said, “Previously we had supported GST as it was portrayed to be uniform across the nation, but the experience is totally different.” The textile sector, medicine shops, small businessmen had been affected by the new tax law, she said, adding that demonetisation and GST were “two big scandals” perpetrated by the BJP-led government at the Centre.

বাধ্য হয়ে মানছি জিএসটি: মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়

কেন্দ্রের জন্য বাধ্য হয়ে রাজ্য পণ্য ও পরিষেবা কর ব্যবস্থা মেনে নিয়েছি কিন্তু গরিব মানুষের স্বার্থে এই কর সম্পর্কে আমাদের যে লড়াই, তা যেমন ছিল, তেমন চলবে। মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা ব্যানার্জি মঙ্গলবার বিধানসভায় ‘ওয়েস্ট বেঙ্গল গুডস অ্যান্ড সার্ভিস ট্যাক্স’ বিল অনুমোদন করাতে গিয়ে এই কথা বলেছেন।

তিনি বলেন, “পণ্য পরিষেবা করের ব্যাপারে আমরা কখনওই আমাদের অবস্থান থেকে সরে আসেনি। এক দেশ এক কর ব্যবস্থা, আমরা সমর্থন করেছি। কিন্তু, সবসময় বলেছি, দেখতে হবে এর ফলে গরিব মানুষ যেন ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত না হয়। উপযুক্ত পরিকাঠামো সারা দেশে গড়ে তোলার জন্যে, বিষয়টি সম্পর্কে মানুষকে অবহিত করার জন্য, তাড়াহুড়ো না করতে অনুরোধ করেছিলাম। তা সত্ত্বেও ওরা তাড়াহুড়ো করেছে। গরিব মানুষের কথা ভাবেনি। এরপরেও গরিব মানুষের যেটুকু সুবিধা আছে তা আমাদের লড়াইয়ের জন্যই। আমাদের অর্থমন্ত্রী অমিত মিত্র অনেক সময়ই একা লড়াই করেছেন। জয়ললিতা ছাড়া কেউ পাশে ছিলেন না। এর আগে আমরা অধ্যাদেশ জারি করেছি, এখন আইন করেছি। না–হলে কেন্দ্রের অসহযোগিতায় সরকারি কাজকর্ম বন্ধ হয়ে যেত। আমাদের টাকা আমরাই ব্যবহার করতে পারতাম না। জিএসটি আইন হয়ে যাওয়ার পর এখন তো আর এমপাওয়ার্ড কমিটি নেই। কাউন্সিল হয়েছে। তার চেয়ারম্যান অরুণ জেটলি। তবুও আমরা সাধারণ মানুষের স্বার্থে বিভিন্ন দ্রব্য ও পরিষেবায় করের হার কমানোর জন্যে লড়াই চালিয়ে যাচ্ছি।”

অর্থমন্ত্রী অমিত মিত্র বলেন, “মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর নির্দেশে জিএসটি নিয়ে এমপাওয়ার্ড কমিটিতে প্রচণ্ড লড়াই করেছি বলেই রাজ্যগুলো কিছুটা সুবিধা পাচ্ছে। সুজন চক্রবর্তী জানান, বাংলার বঁড়শি সারা ভারতে এমনকী দেশের বাইরেও রপ্তানি হয়। বঁড়শি ও পোশাক শিল্পে যাতে করের বোঝা কমে তা দেখতে হবে। এবং ওষুধের ওপর বিশেষ করে জীবনদায়ী ওষুধের ওপর কর যাতে ৫ শতাংশের বেশি না হয় তা নিয়ে কেন্দ্রকে চাপ দেওয়া হোক।”

Sudip Bandyopadhyay speaks on the attack on Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat

Posted on August 8, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Madam, Rahul Gandhi ji is the leader of the largest Opposition party of the country. I think there should be no ifs and buts and no questions (about condemning) the attack on him. The incident is highly condemnable and disgraceful. Everybody should condemn it. We feel that this incident is the reflection of intolerance which is rising in the society.

Why should a political leader not be allowed to campaign or carry out any party work? Like Rajnath ji has said, I will also request Rahul ji to be covered always by the SPG forces. His life is important to all of us; his security should be taken care of.

Let the House condemn the incident unanimously.

Bengal’s Panchayati Raj system wins World Bank award, becomes role model for country

Posted on August 8, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Bengal’s panchayat system has become the role model for the rest of the country. This was stated by the Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee recently, after the State’s Institutional Strengthening of Gram Panchayats (ISGP) programme was given the highest rating by the World Bank for bringing about overall modernisation of the panchayat system of Bengal.

The other contenders were all countries and regions in the world where the World Bank-funded ISGP programme is being run. An Independent Evaluation Group (IEG), which works as an autonomous organisation within the World Bank, had come and evaluated the programme in Bengal.

This award will act as a major boost for the Trinamool Congress ahead of the statewide panchayat elections scheduled for the early part of next year.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the seeds of all-round development have been sown in rural Bengal, be it the Kanyashree Scheme or the Sabuj Sathi Scheme or the Mission Nirmal Bangla or this ISGP programme for gram panchayats. Schemes like Kanyashree and Nirmal Bangla have won international praise, including from the United Nations and UNICEF.

The ISGP programme is now being run in all the gram panchayats in all the districts of Bengal. The second phase of the programme is currently on, and is scheduled to end in December 2022.

Among the work accomplished as part of the ISGP programme are creation of government assets in rural areas, training of government officials and workers, setting proper accounting standards, providing computer training, and setting up of GIS-based (through mobile phones) integrated planning and monitoring system for the Panchayati Raj institutions.

As a part of the ‘untied funds’ scheme associated with the ISGP programme, gram panchayats are fulfilling projects like selling drinking water in barrels and bottles in rural areas, making and selling plates and bowls made of sal leaves, among others, which act as additional sources of income for the panchayats.

আবারও বিশ্বসেরা বাংলা – এবার পঞ্চায়েত ব্যাবস্থায়

কন্যাশ্রীর পর পঞ্চায়েত ব্যাবস্থার আধুনিকীকরণের কাজেও আন্তর্জাতিক স্বীকৃতি আদায় করল বাংলা। পঞ্চায়েত ব্যাবস্থাকে আরও সুদৃঢ় করার লক্ষ্যে ২০১০-এর সেপ্টেম্বরে বিশ্বব্যাঙ্কের টাকায় রাজ্যের মোট ন’টি জেলায় এবং ১০০০টি গ্রাম পঞ্চায়েতে আইএসজিপি প্রকল্প চালু হয়। তার মাধ্যমে পঞ্চায়েতের পরিকাঠামো উন্নয়ন, কর্মী-অফিসার ও জনপ্রতিনিধিদের প্রশিক্ষণ দেওয়া হয়। সেই কাজে বাংলাকে সর্বোচ্চ রেটিং দিয়েছে বিশ্বব্যাঙ্ক। বিশ্বের যে সব দেশে এই প্রকল্প চালু রয়েছে তার মধ্যে একেবারে প্রথম সারিতে রয়েছে বাংলার নাম।

সরকারি সূত্রের খবর, আইএসজিপি প্রকল্পের হাল-হকিকত খতিয়ে দেখে সম্প্রতি বিশ্বব্যাঙ্কের পরিচালন পর্ষদের কাছে একটি মূল্যায়ন রিপোর্ট জমা দেয় আইইজি। যারা বিশ্বব্যাঙ্কের অধীনে স্বাধীন সংস্থা হিসেবে কাজ করে। তাদের রেটিংয়ে পশ্চিমবঙ্গ ‘অতি সন্তোষজনক’ তকমা পেয়েছে। এর আগে বিশ্বব্যাঙ্কের নিযুক্ত অডিট অফিসারের রিপোর্টেও রাজ্যের আইএসজিপি প্রকল্প নিয়ে প্রশংসামূলক মন্তব্য করা হয়েছিল।

রাজ্যে আইএসজিপি প্রকল্পের ভারপ্রাপ্ত আধিকারিক বলেন, আইএসজিপি প্রকল্প রুপায়ণে রাজ্যের সাফল্যকে বিশ্বব্যাঙ্ক স্বীকৃতি দেওয়ায় আগামী দিনে আন্তর্জাতিক ঋণ পেতে সুবিধা হবে। প্রকল্পের প্রথম পর্যায়ের কাজ শেষ হওয়ার আগেই বিশ্বব্যাঙ্ক দ্বিতীয় পর্যায়ের কাজের অনুমোদন দিয়েছে। আইএসজিপি প্রকল্পে প্রথম পর্যায়ে বিশ্বব্যাঙ্ক প্রায় ১২০০কোটি টাকা অনুদান দিয়েছিল। দ্বিতীয় পর্যায়ের প্রায় ২০০০ কোটি টাকা বরাদ্দ করেছে। চলতি বছরের ১৯ মার্চ থেকে দ্বিতীয় পর্যায়ের কাজ শুরু হয়েছে। ২০২২ সালের ডিসেম্বরের মধ্যে দ্বিতীয় পর্যায়ের কাজ শেষ হওয়ার কথা। বর্তমানে রাজ্যের সমস্ত জেলায় এবং পঞ্চায়েতে আইএসজিপি প্রকল্পের কাজ শুরু হয়েছে। গ্রামসভার বৈঠকে মানুষের অংশগ্রহণ বাড়াতে টিভি-রেডিয়োতেও প্রচার চালানো হচ্ছে।

এ ছাড়াও এই প্রকল্পের অধীনে আনটায়েড ফান্ড-এ বিশ্বব্যাঙ্কের টাকায় পঞ্চায়েতগুলি নিজের মতো করে নানা প্রকল্প হাতে নিচ্ছে। যেমন, অনেক গ্রাম পঞ্চায়েত জল তৈরি করে ব্যারেল এবং বোতলে ভরে বিক্রি করছে। কেউ শালপাতার থালা বানিয়ে বিক্রি করছে। পঞ্চায়েত নিজস্ব রোজগার বাড়াচ্ছে। পরিষেবা প্রদানেও আরও আধুনিক হচ্ছে পঞ্চায়েতগুলি।

পঞ্চায়েত মন্ত্রী সুব্রত মুখোপাধ্যায় বলেন, ‘আইএসজিপি প্রকল্প রুপায়ণে দেশেই নয়, বিশ্বের কাছে এখন ‘রোল মডেল’ হয়ে উঠেছে পশ্চিমবঙ্গ। সেই কারণেই বিশ্বব্যাঙ্ক রাজ্যকে সেরা রেটিং দিয়েছে। এটা আমাদের অত্যন্ত গর্বের। কন্যাশ্রী-র মতো আধুনিক পঞ্চায়েত তৈরিতেও বিশ্বকে পথ দেখাচ্ছে বাংলা।’
Source: Ei Samay