State Govt enabling better lives for correctional home inmates

The Trinamool Congress Government has always believed in a humanistic approach to governance; not for nothing does it also call itself the Maa-Mati-Manush Government.

In pursuance of this aim, the Government has taken up several skills development projects for correctional home inmates to make their lives better (by earning some money while keeping their minds focused on positive thoughts), and enable them to lead better lives after release.

In correctional homes across Bangla, the Correctional Services Department, by itself as well as in collaboration with various organisations, runs these skills training courses.

Recently, the Dum Dum Central Correctional Home (DDCH), in collaboration with an NGO, ran a project for training inmates with carpentry skills to manufacture a wide variety of home décor items from discarded wooden pieces.

It was a three-day workshop, with classes held one day per week for three weeks. Twenty-five inmates of DDCH were trained through the project.

Teaching to make designer wooden items is aimed at empowering the inmates to promote inclusivity and sustainability through eco-friendly products. The exquisite upcycled wood products are designed using dead and abandoned tree trunks.

Another successful project has been going on at DDCH for almost two years. Run in collaboration with the same NGO, the project is called ‘Jute Story Behind Bars’. Through it, inmates are trained in making artisanal jute products.

The wide array of jute products have been showcased and sold by the inmates at various fairs and exhibitions, evoking excellent response. The products are also displayed and sold at Oxford Bookstore on Park Street.

Source: Millennium Post

Training to make Jangalmahal youth employable

In a unique initiative to provide employment to the youths of Jangalmahal, the Bangla Government has decided to introduce a one-year training programme so that they can be inducted in ITI colleges across the State.

The Technical Education & Training and Skill Development Department will start the induction training soon. The idea is to ensure that those who have not cleared the Class VIII examination get the opportunity to take part in the programme.

Those who will successfully complete the training will be able to enrol themselves with the ITI colleges. After successfully completing the ITI course, lots of opportunities will open up for getting employment.

While announcing the details of the training, the departmental Minister said that students are admitted in ITI colleges in two categories – under one, the applicants have to clear the Class VIII examination, while in the other, they have to clear Madhyamik.

The scheme has now been made easier for the former group through this one-year course.

Source: Millennium Post

Samajik Suraksha to the aid of unorganised workers

The flagship social security scheme of the Trinamool Congress Government, Samajik Suraksha Yojana (SSY) has been a big success this year.

A total of 1.10 crore workers from various unorganised sectors have registered themselves under the scheme, for whom the government has spent Rs 1,530 crore, according to a recent statement by the Labour Minister in the Assembly. Most of the registrations took place at the Sramik Melas organised across the State in the early part of the year.

The registered workers get a Samajik Mukti Card each to avail the benefits of the scheme, which include provident fund, health insurance (provided under Swasthya Sathi Scheme), death and disability benefits, financial assistance for the education of the children of beneficiaries, and training in safety and skill development (provided through the Paschim Banga Society for Skill Development).

The new and consolidated Samajik Suraksha Yojana for unorganised workers was notified on April 3, 2017. The five existing social security schemes for unorganised workers, namely, State Assisted Scheme of Provident Fund for Unorganised Workers (SASPFUW), West Bengal Unorganised Sector Workers’ Health Security Scheme (WBUSWHSS), Social Security Scheme for Construction Workers (BOCWA), West Bengal Transport Workers Social Security Scheme (WBTWSSS) and West Bengal Beedi Workers’ Welfare Scheme (WBBWWS), were combined to create this new scheme.

Flagship scheme for security of workers from all unorganised categories

Registered workers: 1.10 crore
Money spent on them: Rs 1,530 crore

1.5 lakh weavers benefitted from State Govt projects

As many as 1.5 lakh weavers have benefitted through the four integrated ‘Tanter Haat’ projects undertaken by the Bangla Government, said the Commerce and Industries Minister Dr Amit Mitra recently in the Assembly. A total of 5.83 crore person-days have also been created. Mamata Banerjee, right after becoming Chief Minister, has taken a leading role in reviving the fortunes of traditional weavers.

The Minister told the House that sales at Tantuja outlets have increased manifold, transforming it into a profitable organisation. Elaborating, he said that while financial year (FY) 2010-11 saw it incur a loss of Rs 12.6 crore, after eight years under the Trinamool Congress Government, in FY 2018-19, it turned a profit of Rs 14.37.

During his speech in the House, the Minister gave information on several other projects of the Government for weavers and other traditional artisans.

Initiatives for weavers:
5.83 crore person-days created
4 Tant Haats set up to help market products, benefitting 1.5 lakh weavers
6,300 Tant Ghars set up
Project in Bishnupur, Bankura, with 1,800 weavers to revive baluchari sarees
23 common service centres set up
1.02 lakh given skills development training
1.08 lakh weavers given pit looms or frame looms
Baluchari and dhanekhali saree showroom on Park Street

Tantuja becomes profitable:
FY 2018-19: Sales worth Rs 252.58 crore, profit of Rs 14.37 crore
Compared to FY 2010-11: Sales worth Rs 55 crore, loss of Rs 12.6 crore

Handloom clusters:
84,564 weavers integrated into 176 handloom clusters
Number of clusters increased by 6 times in 8 years

GI certification:
Food items: Rosogolla, moa of Joynagar, sitabhog and mihidana of Bardhaman
Fruits: Fazli, himsagar and lyangra mangoes
Foodgrains: Tulaipanji and Gobindobhog rice
Crafts: Dokra, patachitra, wooden mask of Kushmandi, madurkathi
Dance forms: Chhau of Purulia

Source: Millennium Post, Aajkaal

Malnutrition has reduced significantly in Bangla

The number of children suffering from malnutrition has reduced significantly in Bangla, according to data presented by the Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Minister recently in the Assembly.

Only 8.19 per cent of children suffer from malnutrition, which is a huge drop from the 30 per cent prevalent under the Left Front Government. Hence there has been a huge improvement during the eight years of the Trinamool Congress Government.

To improve the situation further, the State Government has started celebrating the fourth Friday of every month as Supusti Dibas and the fourth Friday every three months (that is, every quarter) as Annaprasan Dibas.

The State Government is also considering introducing special high-nutrition food packets to deal with such cases.

Among the other data given by the minister, 13,50,969 pregnant women and 60,37,644 children are getting special packages under the ICDS scheme and 41,793 child welfare committees have been set up, with Murshidabad accounting for 2,692.

Source: Aajkaal

 

Centre delaying payments for MGNREGA: Didi

During an Assembly speech recently, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the scope of 100 days of work per year under MGNREGA is gradually decreasing due to certain restrictions imposed by the Central Government. The payments are also being intentionally delayed, she said.

The MGNREGA Scheme was initiated with the objective of enhancing livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

Mamata Banerjee further stated that the State Government has done a convergence between the Panchayats and Rural Development Department and other departments like Irrigation and Waterways, Forest, Fisheries and Environment in such a manner that a large number of people get an opportunity.

It may also be mentioned that Bangla has secured the first position both for implementation of the 100 Days’ Work Scheme and for creating employment opportunities. The State has also topped the list with respect to the construction of roads in rural regions.

Source: Millennium Post

 

State Govt to issue digital ration cards from Sep 9 to 27

The Food and Supplies Department has taken up a special programme for issuing, replacing and updating digital ration cards. An advertisement has been issued in this regard.

The programme will run from September 9 to 27. The digital ration cards will be issued from 10.30am to 5pm, except Sundays and public holidays, from the local BDO, municipality and borough offices.

The advertisement has requested all the people who have not yet enlisted themselves under the Khadya Sathi Scheme to come to the designated offices and get their digital ration cards.

 

Bangla CM writes to PM urging withdrawal of bank mergers

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to the Prime Minister yesterday (September 6) protesting the Centre’s unilateral decision to merge two public sector banks headquartered in the city without consulting the State Government.

Expressing concern, she said the mergers and the threat of shifting of the banks’ headquarters will affect the developmental momentum of the State. Hence, she urged the Prime Minister to not to go for the bank mergers, announced on August 30.

The banks are United Bank of India and Allahabad Bank, which will merge with Punjab National Bank and Indian Bank, respectively. These two mergers are part of the Central Government’s announced plan on public sector banks to bring down their number from 27 to 12.

Source: moneycontrol.com

State Govt gives traditional treatment methods a fillip

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is creating more avenues for traditional methods of treatment to contribute towards health care delivery. The State Government has taken several more initiatives recently in this regard.

Hospitals and courses

A yoga and naturopathy degree college and hospital will be set up in Belur in Howrah district at an estimated cost of Rs 67 crore. It will have 100 beds with an annual intake capacity of 60 students.

A 50-bedded integrated AYUSH hospital is under construction in Medinipur town. It will become functional in this financial year.

The State Government has also given consent to provide 10 acres in the premises of Kalyani TB Sanatorium for a Central Research Institute on Yoga and Naturopathy at Kalyani in Nadia.

Pathological and biochemical tests are now being done free of cost at Viswanath Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya and Hospital in collaboration with private laboratories.

Two new postgraduate courses have been started, each with six seats – ‘Practice of Medicine’ at Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital and ‘Materia Medica’ at Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital.

Benefits

The Trinamool Congress Government has laid enormous stress on the development of infrastructure in the AYUSH (ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha, homoeopathy) sector. The AYUSH method of treatment is also cost-effective.

The Government created the AYUSH Branch under the Health and Family Welfare Department. Many AYUSH hospitals have also been constructed in different parts of the State.

State Assembly passes 2 Bills to set up universities

The State Assembly passed the Hindi University Bill tabled by the Government on Thursday to encourage Hindi-medium education in Bangla. The State-aided university will be set up in Howrah.

Commenting during the tabling of the Bill, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the Bill was introduced because “there are several Hindi-speaking people staying in Bangla” and that it “will show us a new path” and “will stand for harmony and unity”.

She also requested the Education Department to quickly initiate the construction of the university on the land that has been already acquired. The name, she said, will be decided after talking to all communities.

A day earlier, the Assembly had passed a Bill to enable the setting up of a university in the name of Swami Vivekananda.

This self-financing private university will be set up in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas. The proposed university would deal in various specialised fields like science, technology, law, management, social sciences, medicine, education, humanities and performing arts.