Page 2 - West Bengal

Meat of the matter: BJP's imprint on Durga Puja in West Bengal

With the state govt issuing new guidelines for Bengal's biggest festival, conversations around traditions are intensifying

Cong's Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan sent to custody till Oct 3

The Congress' Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan was sent to judicial custody till October 3 by a local court, a day after his arrest on multiple charges, including murder, that dates back 19 years. Pradhan was produced before the Haldia Subdivisional Court following his arrest on Friday. The West Bengal Police said Pradhan was arrested based on four pending arrest warrants for his alleged involvement in non-bailable cases related to rioting, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and criminal intimidation, which were filed during the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram. He was also booked under relevant sections of the Arms Act, police said. A counsel appearing for Pradhan said, "The court has remanded Milan Pradhan to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the three warrants associated with cases in Nandigram police station. He will be produced before the Contai court on Monday in connection with the fourth warrant issued in cases registered with the ..

Mamata's Rejinagar bypoll candidate withdraws, retracts decision later

In a dramatic turn of events, Mamata Banerjee's party's Rejinagar by-election candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury on Saturday announced his withdrawal from the contest, only to retract his statement within a few hours, and assert he would be in the October 6 poll battle as per the wishes of the supremo. The development came a day after Banerjee's party's Nandigram by-election nominee Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her candidature following a meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Chowdhury, a former TMC MLA, told reporters in his Murshidabad home earlier in the day, "It is becoming difficult for me to motivate grassroots workers who have been facing regular harassment. Also, it is an onerous task to familiarise the electorate with the new 'footballer' symbol in such a short time. In this given situation, last night I informed Mamata di about my decision (not to contest)... Let's see," he said. However, hours later, Chowdhury, in another hurriedly convened press meet, said, "I will

Swapan Dasgupta pitches Bengal as 'skills base' for eastern India

Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta says Bengal's economic revival should be linked to the wider growth of eastern India, with a focus on skills and services

EC bars rival TMC factions from using party name, symbol in Bengal bypolls

The Election Commission has directed rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) not to use the party name and "Flowers and Grass symbol" during the West Bengal bypolls, and asked them to submit their preferred names and symbols by Friday morning. In its interim order issued on Thursday night, the Commission, after hearing leaders of the two factions led by Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy, said the matter requires substantive determination by the poll body under provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968. "On due consideration of the totality of information available on record... the commission is of the opinion that there are two rival groups in the All India Trinamool Congress, one led by Ms. Mamata Banerjee and the other led by Shri Arup Roy," the interim order said. "Each group is now claiming to be the party, and therefore the matter requires a substantive determination by the Commission under Para 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservatio

No eligible Bengal women will be deprived of Annapurna Yojana: PM Modi

The West Bengal government aims to ensure that not a single eligible woman is deprived of the benefits of Annapurna Yojana, and it is working relentlessly towards achieving this goal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday. Virtually addressing an 'Annapurna Divas' event organised by the West Bengal government, the prime minister said that solving every problem connected to the life cycle of mothers, sisters and daughters has been the priority of the BJP government. "Within a few days of forming our government in Bengal, work began on the Annapurna Yojana. Today, many women receive financial assistance directly into their bank accounts. "There are no middlemen and no 'cut money'. Our government aims to ensure that not a single eligible woman is deprived of the benefits of Annapurna Yojana. We are working relentlessly towards achieving this goal," Modi said. He added that work is also being done rapidly here for this purpose. The prime minister said that under the scheme, a

Bengal CM Suvendu pitches business-friendly climate to industrialists

The West Bengal government on Saturday invited industrialists and business groups to invest in the state, asserting that the new government was working to create a conducive business environment through new policies and incentives. Speaking at a summit organised by a news channel, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the government would soon unveil new industrial and land policies and amendments to the land ceiling Act, along with a package of incentives for investors, though he did not give a timeline or further details. Adhikari said industrialisation would help generate employment in the state, where, he claimed, a large number of educated youths were without jobs. He also claimed that nearly one crore migrant labourers from the state were currently working outside. "This is a truly patriotic government functioning properly. We are working on the industrial policy, the industrial land policy, the Land Ceiling Act, incentives and other investor-related measures. The roadmap is .

West Bengal AAR says actual-cost electricity recovery not liable to GST

Authority says electricity charges recovered without any markup or profit, including for HVAC and common areas, can be excluded from the value of maintenance services

Bengal Beckons: West Bengal FM Swapan Dasgupta's 'look east' policy

West Bengal finance minister calls for respecting relative differences of eastern states but acknowledging their commonality

Restaurants need ease of doing business ecosystem: Anjan Chatterjee

Speciality Restaurants founder Anjan Chatterjee talks about his entrepreneurial journey, changing dining habits, food safety and his ambition to take Bengali cuisine global

Big business and policy push key to breaking Bengal's investment jinx

Business leaders and economists called for competitive incentives, easier land acquisition and stronger industrial ecosystems to attract investment and help MSMEs scale up

Power tariffs and building norms top reforms agenda: West Bengal FM

Power sector reform, he reckoned, was a "low-hanging fruit", with an "Open Access" policy under consideration to help lower electricity prices in the state

Bengal needs big corporate bet to drive industrial revival: Swapan Dasgupta

At the Business Standard's Round Table West Bengal 2026, state Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta said one major corporate investment could help revive industry

WBJEE 2026 decentralised counselling soon at wbjeeb.nic.in; details here

WBJEE Decentralised e-counselling 2026 registration process starts at 10 am today. Candidates participating in the counselling process must enrol and fill in their choices by tomorrow

Business Standard Round Table West Bengal 2026

West Bengal is at a critical point in its economic journey. Business Standard Round Table West Bengal 2026 brings together policymakers, industry leaders and experts to chart a new era of growth. >

BS Roundtable: Swapan Dasgupta to set the tone at Bengal Beckons on Monday

Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta will be the star attraction at the first edition of a Business Standard Roundtable in the state, Bengal Beckons, on Monday

FSSAI cancels licences of two West Bengal-based firms for violation

Food regulator FSSAI has suspended licences of West Bengal-based companies, Kailash Formulation and Sanecure Water Project, for violation of laws related to hygiene and sanitation. In a social media post on Sunday, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) informed the action taken against these two companies. "Enforcement drives in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, lead to the suspension of FSSAI licenses for Kailash Formulation and Sanecure Water Project due to severe violations of hygiene, sanitation, and compliance standards," the regulator said. On Kailash Formulation, the FSSAI said that the suspension order has been issued for non-conformance to compulsory food safety regulations. "Overall cleaning, hygiene and sanitation of the premises was found to be unsatisfactory. Lack of proper hand-washing, changing and hygiene facilities, along with missing medical examination, inoculation and personal hygiene records for food handlers," the FSSAI said. Moreover, FSSAI said

Calcutta HC declines urgent hearing on plea for Sept 2 protest over SIR

The Calcutta High Court on Friday declined an urgent hearing of a plea seeking permission to hold a demonstration on September 2 over deletion of names from electoral rolls during the SIR exercise and delays in hearings of appeals before tribunals. The lawyer representing an organisation, Sangrami Ganamancha, sought leave to file the petition and requested an urgent hearing. Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya declined the request, saying the matter would come up as per schedule after the petition was filed. The organisation has sought permission to hold the demonstration on September 2, claiming that more than 5,000 people would participate. The plea relates to alleged deletion of names from electoral rolls during the SIR exercise and delays in hearings on appeals before tribunals. Questioning why the petition had not been filed earlier, Justice Bhattacharyya said it was not a matter of right for a petition to be heard urgently if it was not filed in time.

ITA seeks West Bengal tea policy push for Darjeeling, Dooars-Terai

White papers seek financial support, tea-area rejuvenation, factory modernisation and trade reforms to revive production, protect livelihoods and attract investment in North Bengal

SC seeks ECI data on pending West Bengal SIR electoral roll appeals

Court seeks details of pending and disposed appeals, relief granted and steps to update electoral rolls, and calls for the process to be streamlined