by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Kolkata : Asserting that the BJP-led central government does not have any differential attitude towards any state, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday said his department has allocated more than Rs 200 crore for the development of minority inhabited areas in West Bengal over the last two years.
Naqvi was answering a question in the India Today Conclave East on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegations earlier in the day that Central ministers are more interested in the growth of BJP in Bengal than the development of the state.
“I respect Mamata Banjerjee but the claim she is making is incorrect. If I talk about my ministry, it has given more than Rs 200 crore for the development of minority inhabited areas in West Bengal. The money was allotted for the development of schools, colleges, hostels, and also for developing the drinking water and road infrastructure,” he said.
“The central government has never shown any differential attitude against anyone and will never do so in the future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a strong commitment towards the federal structure. He is tirelessly working with that commitment,” he said.
Asked about Banerjee’s claims that the fund for two new ports in Bengal is being halted by the Central government, Naqvi said there might be some technical reasons behind it
“I do not deal with that department. But I think there might be be some technical reasons behind it. I am sure she is also aware that there are some technical issues in that regard. This government never brings electoral politics in the way of development,” he added.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Business, Corporate, Corporate Governance, Economy, Markets, News, Politics
By Milinda Ghosh Roy,
Kolkata : In a bid to showcase internationally the city’s rich heritage and passion for football, the West Bengal government has come up with a bouquet of initiatives, from guided tours to screening short documentaries, during the U-17 World Cup in which 24 countries are participating.
The eastern metropolis, a key host venue of the six-venue tourney across India, is slated to hold 10 games, including the October 28 final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan — also called Salt Lake Stadium. The FIFA headquarters for the competition has also been set up here, with 60 delegates from the globe’s apex soccer body camping in the city.
Besides, Kolkata has been adjudged the referee hub and the training centre for rookie referees.
As the city gears up for the country’s biggest football extravaganza, with four foreign teams arriving here with a few thousand of their supporters, the state government is keen to provide a taste of Kolkata to the guests from abroad.
The state Information and Cultural Affairs Department is planning to screen documentaries, two to five minutes long, on various aspects of Kolkata and its cultural heritage in between the matches and during the half-time intervals in the stadium.
The first two matches in the city are scheduled for October 8.
“We plan to run short documentaries on our city on the giant screens available in the stadium in between the matches or during the half-time intervals. The length of these films will be decided after discussing with the FIFA officials,” Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs Indranil Sen told IANS.
“Kolkata has a wonderful cultural heritage and its love for football is eternal. These snippets and documentaries would help our foreign guests get acquainted with the city in a better way,” he said.
With England, Chile, Mexico, Iraq, Japan and New Caledonia playing in Kolkata, the state tourism department has taken various initiatives to promote tourism in and around the city before the foreign and delegates.
The FIFA tournament is being highlighted as a major event happening in the state on the West Bengal Tourism Department’s website, and leaflets and advertisements of Bengal tourism have been circulated among the major city hotels that would become the temporary address of the football fans from abroad.
According to tourism officials, the department has engaged a number of tour guides — christened “atithi bandhus” — who would take the tourists to iconic places in the city like College street, Victoria Memorial, Kalighat temple and the house of Mother Teresa.
Tourism and hospitality students from the city have been chosen as atithi bandhus and given a guided tour of the city alongside the necessary training in soft skills to attend to the foreign guests interested in avaiing their services.
“The atithi bandhu is a new concept. We have chosen young boys and girls from tourism and hospitality institutes and held an orientation programme for them,” Tourism Secretary Atri Bhattacharya told IANS.
“The students were trained in soft skills, foreign languages and culture. Their contact details have been updated on the Tourism Department’s website so that the people interested in engaging them can directly get in touch with them,” he added.
The Tourism Department is also in discussions with various consulates to arrange tours for the players and officials staying in the city for the tournament.
“So many players, coaches, officials would be coming here during the tournament. It is an honour for the state to have organised such an event. We are in discussions with various consulates so that some tours of Kolkata and its surrounding areas can be arranged for them,” Tourism Minister Gautam Deb told IANS.
He said the department is also planning online and offline advertisements to promote the diverse tourist destinations around the state.
Youngsters who have registered themselves as atithi bandhus are equally excited about the opportunity.
“It is not every day you get a chance to interact with so many people from other countries. I love my city and it is a great opportunity to introduce our guests to our wonderful City of Joy,” said Sreya Biswas, a tourism student at a Kolkata college who is looking forward to being an atithi bandhu.
(Milinda Ghosh Roy can be contacted at milinda.g@ians.in)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Sitaram Yechury
Kolkata : Describing as “unthinkable” and “painful” the lynching of two persons in West Bengal for transporting cows in pick-up vans, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday blamed the “competitive communalism” of the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP for such happenings.
“It’s unthinkable that such things can happen in West Bengal,” Yechury told media persons here.
The two victims – Hafizul Sheikh and Anwar Hussain – were beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of cattle smuggling on Sunday at Jharsalboni area near Dhupguri in north Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district.
“I find it painful… this is a result of the competitive communalism of the Trinamool and the BJP in order to bring about a communal polarisation,” he said.
Yechury also castigated the Trinamool government for barring immersion of Durga puja idols on the Ashura or the 10th day of Muharram – October 1.
“It is only aimed at appeasing minorities. On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party is stoking majority communalism,” he said.
Banerjee has announced that the Durga Puja immersion would be allowed on Dussehra/Dashami, September 30, but not on October 1 as Muslims would observe Ashura, a day of mourning in the month of Muharram on that day. However, the immersions would be resume on October 2 and could take place till October 4.
Yechury said instead of “differentiating and interfering”, the state government should facilitate meetings of the leaders of the two communities so that they could find a solution themselves.
“They took a similar decision last year. These decisions are only allowing the BJP to grow,” he said.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Economy, Investing, News
Munich: (IANS) Projecting West Bengal as a preferred destination for investment, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged German investors to put their trust in her state.
Addressing an interactive session attended by industry representatives from Germany and West Bengal, Banerjee harped on the achievements Bengal had made in the last five years vis-a-vis availability of infrastructural faculties, cheap and skilled manpower and a pro-industry government.
“When you think of India, you think of Bengal, because it is the destination right now. From logistics to economics from industrial growth, to production, what is available in Bengal is matchless,” said Banerjee.
Invoking Subhas Chandra Bose and Rabindranath Tagore to reflect upon Bengal’s ties with Germany, Banerjee described her state as the gateway to the Asian countries.
“Bengal is the gateway to Asian countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Countries like China and Malaysia are not very far off. So, if you invest in Bengal, you get the opportunity to invest in these countries.
“From cheap labour to skilled manpower, from abundance of power to suitable policies on textile, industry and the likes, we have highways and Asian highways connecting neighbouring countries,” she said.
Emphasising the state’s human resource, she said Bengal had talented youth and they were working around the world.
Wooing German investment, she said investors would get a “ready market”.
“If you invest in Bengal, you will not only get the market from Bengal but also market for Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and entire Asean countries as the state is connected with airports, roads and ports.
“If India is growing at 7.3 per cent per annum, West Bengal is growing at 12.2 per cent. Bengal is doing very well in all sectors. Come and invest in Bengal,” said Banerjee.
The Chief Minister invited German investors for the Bengal Global Business Summit to be held in Kolkata in January.
“Within two weeks, we deliver everything from land to other clearances in a single window system.”
Citing examples of Bengal based industrialists who are operating globally, she said: “Our industrialists are working throughout the world through Bengal. The state is led by industrialists. They guide us and advice what to do it and how to do it.”
Requesting investment from auto giant BMW, she said: “Ancillary industries cannot serve the purpose and it can serve it for a year or two. Big units are required.
“If you want land, the state government can give land from our land bank. We are ready with land policy, land bank and land map.”
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
New Delhi, (IANS) West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress and Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK were set to retain power on Thursday as the BJP was on the road to victory in Assam and the Left made a comeback in Kerala.
On expected lines, the Trinamool was sweeping all across West Bengal as officials counted the millions of votes polled in the staggered assembly elections. Its candidates led in 199 of the 289 places where trends were available two hours after the vote count began at 8 a.m.
The Left and the Congress were at a distant second spot, leading in 37 and 41 constituencies respectively. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was leading in 12 places. The West Bengal legislature has 294 members.
In Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK proved exit polls wrong as it appeared on the course to retaining power. Its candidates led in 132 constituencies, with the DMK-Congress alliance in the lead in 69.
The PMK was ahead in four places. The Tamil Nadu assembly has 234 seats.
As an AIADMK win appeared certain, boisterous celebrations erupted outside the residence of party leader and Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in Chennai.
Unlike in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the governments were set to change in Assam and Kerala.
The BJP was on the road to victory in Assam for the first time. Its alliance candidates led in 65 constituencies, followed by the Congress in 28 seats. The AIUDF led in 17 places.
Assam has a 126-member legislature.
As widely expected, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) was set to dethrone the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
LDF candidates led in 85 seats and those of the UDF in 53 as trends were available from all the 140 constituencies. The BJP was leading in one seat and a smaller party in another.
The DMK-Congress alliance and the All India N.R. Congress were in close contest in Puducherry, leading in 10 and nine constituencies respectively. The union territory has a 30-member assembly.
