Month: May 2015

Urban Development – Trinamool performing much better than previous govt

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In four years, the Trinamool Congress Government has achieved much more than what any of the previous government could in comparable periods of time.

The Left Front Government, during its last financial year, 2010-11, spent Rs 866 crore. The new Trinamool Government during its first financial year, 2011-12, hiked the amount by 30.25% to Rs 1128 crore.

This amount has continuously increased over the past four years, to Rs 1690 crore in 2014-15 (an increase by 82% over the last year of the Left Front), to make a total spend of Rs 5559 crore over the first four years for the Trinamool Government.

Compare this to Rs 3327 crore, the amount spent by the Left Front Government over its last four years, an increase by almost 70%. This amount has been further increased in the 2015-16 Budget to Rs 1895 crore.

It is quite apparent that the Trinamool Government has continuously spent much more for urban development in the State.

 

Municipal development – Trinamool is way ahead

Similarly comparing the last four years of the Left Front to the first four of the Trinamool, the comparable amounts are Rs 3204 crore and Rs 4908 crore, an increase by more than 53%.

The budget for municipal development in 2015-16 has kept at Rs 2466 crore, which more than 130% that of the Left Front’s last year in power (2010-11).

Among other things, the Trinamool Government has spent the money on drinking water projects, housing for the urban poor, urban beautification, sewerage system and social development funds.

 

Completed projects of the Trinamool Government

 A. Projects completed by the Trinamool Government in its first three years only (2011-12 to 2013-14) all over West Bengal

  • 16,000 housing units for the urban poor completed; 11,000 more units are on their way to completion
  • Street lamps have been set up in 52 municipalities
  • Professional training to 1,05,000 jobless youth
  • Through e-governance plan, in 73 municipalities, computerised birth and death certificates, trade licenses, and, in some municipalities, building plans too
  • State-of-the-art tannery in Tangra in Kolkata Municipal Corporation area
  • Compactor stations for scientific garbage disposal in Kolkata and other places

 

B. Projects in 2014-15

  • Nazrul Tirtha in New Town, Kolkata (Rs 45.7 crore)
  • Eco Island, as a part of Phase 3 of Eco Tourism Park (Rs 6.67 crore)
  • Underpasses (Rs 4.75 crore)
  • Third bridge over the Bagjola Canal (Rs 6.03 crore)
  • Water supply project in Baruipur municipality (Rs 14.47 crore)
  • 25 million gallons per day (MGD) capacity water purification plant in Geonkhali
  • Completion of Satish Samanta Haldia Trade Centre in Raichak

 

C. Significant projects undertaken during the last financial year to be continued in the next FY 2015-16

  • Ten community markets and solar city in New Town Kolkata Development Authority area
  • Granting 129 acres to Sriniketan-Santiniketan Development Authority for building a Smart Township in Bolpur
  • Taking up a Rs 300.79-crore project of constructing a giant Ferris wheel for tourists at Millenium Park in Kolkata, in collaboration with a British company (for building the giant wheel) and Kolkata Port Trust
  • As per a new urban development policy, exhorting real estate developers to build projects for the economically disadvantaged
  • Municipal solid waste management projects in six municipalities of Hooghly district
  • Municipal waste water treatment projects in Barrackpore, Uttarpara-Kotrang and Khardaha municipalities
  • Fifty-bed shelters for the homeless in 10 cities
  • Increasing the ambit of e-governance

Bengal to woo IT cos at Analytics City

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Keeping up with its smart city initiatives, the state government is now working on plans to develop an `Analytics City’ near Kolkata to woo reputable IT firms dealing in data analysis. It will have the infrastructure of a smart city with residential and commercial complexes and other facilities.

The proposal of developing such a theme-based city was earlier mooted by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). Discussions have been held with state urban development officials on the proposal.

The state government is already working on plans to develop a number of ‘theme-based’ townships and cities. Places like Bolpur, Kalyani, Asansol, Dumurjala, Baruipur and Debgram has been identified for such theme-based townships and a number of real estate developers have also shown interest to build these theme cities.

Besides, the state government is also working on plans to develop smart cities, keeping New Town, where a number of initiatives have already been taken, on top of the list.

Still a year left for assembly polls: WB CM

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West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee on Friday said there was still a year left for the assembly polls.

Presenting the budget speech for the home department in the assembly, she slammed the erstwhile Left Front government and stressed on the development initiated by the ruling Trinamool Congress since coming to power in 2011.

“We have done a lot of work in the past four years and still a lot is to be done. We have one more year till the next elections and we will have to continue ushering in growth and development,” she said.

Slamming the erstwhile Left Front government for plunging the state into a debt trap, WB CM enumerated a host of social security schemes initiated by her government and asserted its commitment towards development.

“With the blessings of the people at large we will come to power again and continue doing the good work.

“From setting up new hospitals, police stations, schools, colleges and training institutes, to bring back the youth of left-wing extremism-affected areas into the mainstream, we have done everything.”

She also rubbished the opposition’s charges of violence during the recent civic polls.

“The polls both at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and other municipalities were free and peaceful. But the thing due to so many polls, the government is left with little time to work. We had the civic polls, before that we had the panchayat polls and the by elections, so that leaves a government with just two and half years to work (in a five-year tenure),” she added.

Nalban facelift gets underway

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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

CM puts Bengal in Cannes spotlight

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Shooting international movies in Bengal has often meant horror stories of unprofessionalism and permission procuring problems. But Mamata Banerjee is all set to bring about a positive change in the scheme of things.

As a first step, she has sent actor-director Arindam Sil to the 68th Cannes Film Festival as part of an official delegate of the state government. Apart from trying to get films for the Kolkata Film Festival, Arindam Sil is there to woo international production houses by presenting Bengal as India’s most shooting-friendly destination.

Audio-visual presentation

He is carrying an audio-visual presentation that has glimpses of movies shot in Bengal -right from ‘Howrah Bridge’, ‘Mera Naam Joker’, ‘Yaraana’, ‘Main Hoon Na’, ‘ Aradhana’, ‘Mr and Mrs Iyer’, ‘City of Joy’, ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ to ‘The Japanese Wife’, ‘Yuva’, ‘Parineeta’, ‘Kahaani’, ‘Barfi’ and ‘Love Aaj Kal’.

The presentation was prepared by the state tourism department.

Single window clearance

Shooting units can now apply free of cost to the information and cultural affairs department and inform about their requirements.

Arindam Sil said there are no costs involved in the shooting. “Nothing will be charged for shooting at public places and government areas. A nominal price will be charged only if 20 policemen are needed to guard shooting locations. All permissions will be handled and coordinated from one point. The I&CA department will coordinate with Lalbazar, Kolkata municipality and police for permissions. Getting the same permissions in Mumbai will mean shelling out approximately Rs 1 lakh. Added to that is the delay. In Bengal, we will offer logistic support as well,“ he added. Henceforth, police and municipal permissions to shoot in Bengal will get single window clearance.

State youth welfare minister Aroop Biswas said, “We are trying to expedite matters and extending necessary support for shooting in Bengal. Strikes don’t happen at the drop of a hat any longer.”

Those handling international productions in India are thrilled with this news.

Disaster management in West Bengal

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Disaster management in West Bengal is something which is essentially a contribution of the Trinamool Government. This Government has set up a proper system of managing disasters, something which never existed before.

Through doing things like building relief shelters, setting up disaster management teams and keeping them on alert, setting up stores for provisions for requirement during disasters, and other such measures, the State Government has done a lot for disaster preparedness.

Increased spending

The Government of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has given a lot of importance to the Department of Disaster Management. If one does a comparison with the Left Front Government, during its last four years, it spent Rs 32,59,73,000, which comes down to Rs 8,14,93,000 per year on an average. Further, if one compares the allocation in 2007-08 and 2010-11 (the last year of Left Front rule), one finds that the allocation remained almost unchanged – Rs 8,20,35,000 and Rs 8,80,87,000.

Now, compare this with the allocations by the Trinamool Government. The total spend during the first four years amounts to Rs 61,27,23,000, almost double the amount spent by the earlier Government during its last four years. That comes to Rs 15,31,81,000 per year on an average. The allocation for 2015-16 has been pegged at Rs 110 crore, an increase of 286% over 2014-15. Therefore, it is clear from these figures the amount of important the Trinamool Government attaches to disaster management.

Increase in unplanned allocation

Besides the planned allocations in the budgets, unplanned allocations for immediate relief has also increased under the present State Government. For example, Food Minister Purnendu Basu announced on April 18, 2015 that the Government would provide relief to the tune of Rs 69 crore to cover the 50,596 hectares of crops destroyed during the nor’wester.

Towards this non-plan allocation for disaster relief during the last four years of the Left Front rule, the spend was 1528,51,38,000, whereas the allocation during the first four years of the Trinamool Government has been Rs 2866,19,81,000, an increase of more than 88%.

Spending by the Department of Disaster Management

In terms of the spending, the department has performed much better under the Trinamool Government. During its last three years, the Left Front Government built 24 shelters; compare this with the number of such shelters built during first three years of the Trinamool Government – 176! Monetary help for disaster-affected people was provided by the Left Front government to the tune of Rs 1463,40,00,000 during its last three years. The Trinamool Government, on the other hand, during its first three years, provided Rs 4495 crore worth monetary relief, more than three times the previous amount.

Further, the Trinamool Government, during its first three years, provided disaster relief ‘kits’ (comprising things like tents, clothes, cooking and eating utensils, and food) to 30,000 people. On the other hand, the Left Front, during its last three years, spent nothing on these heads.

Prepared for the future

For 2015-16, the State Government has spent Rs 649,90,00,000 towards the creation of the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (Phase-2). Currently, the sea-affected districts of North and South 24-Parganas and East Medinipur have been included under this project. A hundred and fifty cyclone shelters would be built. In 2015-16, in the sea-facing blocks of South 24-Parganas district, 25 cyclone shelters would be built at a cost of Rs 95 crore under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project.

Therefore, it is clear from these comprehensive data that the Mamata Banerjee Government has attached enormous importance to the aspect of disaster relief in West Bengal. After all, she has always professed to have worked for the people.

Bengal tourism flourishes – tourist footfall doubles in 2014

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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.

 

tourism data

Year-wise growth of tourist footfall in Bengal

300 schools in remote areas of Bengal to be powered by solar energy

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West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee has instructed the State environment minister Dr Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar to install solar power in 300 schools situated in remote areas.

While placing the budget for his department, Dr Ghosh Dastidar said that they have already set up solar power electrification in 100 schools located in remote districts. The plan was executed by West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Authority (WBREDA).

This year a total of Rs 56,89,67,000 crore was allotted to the environment department and the state government has also completed electrification of 780 km line on Sagar island too.

According to Dr Ghosh Dastidar, they have erected around 30,500 poles for electrification on Sagar island and plans are there to erect 11,000 more poles by the end of this year.

Dr Ghosh Dastidar also said that they have instructed all the private hospitals in the state to set up liquid affluent treatment plants for segregating the liquid and solid waste. He further stated that the Centre has praised the state government for its effort to increase the Standardised Effective Precipitation Index (SEPI) in the industrial belt of Haldia, Asansol and Howrah.

Dr Ghosh Dastidar said that the Centre for Science and Environment has judged WBPCB as the best pollution control board. The Tonglu village of Darjeeling has been declared as a biodiversity heritage site, he noted.

WB CM chairs her 91st administrative review meeting at Madhyamgram

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West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee today chaired an administrative meeting for the North 24 Parganas district at Nazrul Mancha in Madhyamgram.

Government officials from the district and all elected representatives including State Ministers were present at the meeting. The West Bengal Chief minister took stock of the status of all the developmental projects that are going on in the district.

After the meeting the Chief Minister informed that it was the 91st administrative meeting she was holding and these meetings are very productive and every problem is solved through unique clearance system. She said that a lot of work has been taken up for the North 24 Parganas, their status was reviewed in this meeting and problems were sorted out.

New Projects

The Chief Minister said that the Government has set up committee of a Group of Ministers to look into the jute industry and its problems in Barrackpore. A power loom park is being set up in Ashok Nagar in place of a sick industry, so, there will be no loss of jobs, she announced. The PWD has taken up road construction worth Rs 800 Crore in this district. DPRs have been requested for more food park and clusters along with reports of possible tourism opportunities in North 24 Parganas, The Chief Minister said.

Funds stopped by Centre affecting the State

The Chief Minister said that a number of projects are suffering in the district like the JNNURM projects for which the Central Government has stopped the funding. Allocations for mid-day meals and ICDS have been slashed. And the Central Government has also stopped funding for National Rural Health Mission and funds for modernization of police force. This is affecting the common man, the Chief Minister said.

Performance of North 24 Parganas

Performance of the district has been the best in the Kanyashree program with benefits being extended to about 4.5 lakh girl children, informed the Chief Minister. She congratulated the personnel from the Women Police Station, Barasat for filing charge sheet in a case in just 8 days, a first in the country. About 18000 people who have been affected due to natural calamities have been given cheques today for financial assistance, the Chief Minister informed.

Kolkata in ‘Fastest-Growing Global Cities’ list

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Kolkata has emerged as one of the top three fastest growing cities in India in AT Kearney’s Global Cities Index, which is topped by New York and London. The other two cities are Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Kolkata has been improving their scores steadily in business activity, information exchange, human capital and cultural experience – key parameters used to measure a city’s global engagement in the index released today, said the London-based global management consulting group.

Kolkata, along with the two other Indian cities have made particularly strong improvements in information exchange, in part due to gains in the number of broadband subscribers, it said.

The ability to attract human capital is key to the success of any city. For that it needs to be able to provide a good environment for living as well as innovation,” said an official of AT Kearney.

The Global Cities 2015 includes two parts – The Global Cities Index (GCI) and the Global Cities Outlook (GCO).

The GCI provides a unique assessment of global engagement for 125 cities, measuring how globally engaged each city is across 26 metrics in five dimensions- Business Activity, Human Capital, Information Exchange, Cultural Experience, and Political Engagement.

The GCO is new this year: It evaluates the future potential of 125 cities based on the rate of change across four dimensions – Personal Well-being, Economics, Innovation, and Governance.

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee informed about this feat through Twitter: