Page 21 - West Bengal

Bengal govt gives nod for ad hoc bonus of Rs 6,800 for section of employees

The West Bengal government decided to extend an ad hoc bonus of Rs 6,800 to all its employees who do not come under any productivity-linked bonus system, and have revised monthly emoluments below Rs 44,000 in March, a senior official said on Wednesday. An order in this regard was issued by the finance department on Tuesday which also stated that employees belonging to the Muslim community would be receiving the bonus before Eid-ul-Fitr festival, scheduled later this month, while others would have it in the September 15-19 period, he said. Pensioners would get an ex gratia of Rs 3,500, the official said. The state government also decided to sanction an interest-free advance up to a maximum of Rs 20,000 for those employees having monthly emoluments not exceeding Rs 52,000 in March, he said referring to the order of the finance department.

Amit Shah likely to visit West Bengal on March 29-30, says Sukanta Majumdar

Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was on a visit three-day visit to Assam where he inaugurated several projects

Calcutta HC Justice Joymalya Bagchi to be sworn in as SC judge on March 17

Justice Joymalya Bagchi, a judge of the Calcutta High Court, will on Monday be sworn in as a Supreme Court judge. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna will administer the oath of office to Justice Bagchi in the presence of other Supreme Court judges at a ceremony on the apex court premises. Once Justice Bagchi takes oath, the Supreme Court will have 33 judges against its sanctioned strength of 34. Justice Bagchi will have a tenure of more than six years in the top court, during which he will also serve as the CJI. Born on October 3, 1966, Justice Bagchi will assume the office of CJI upon the retirement of Justice KV Viswanathan on May 25, 2031. His tenure will last till his his retirement on October 2, 2031. Justice Bagchi's name was cleared by the central government on March 10 for appointment as a Supreme Court judge. On March 6, a five-member collegium headed by CJI Khanna recommended his name for Supreme Court judgeship. The collegium -- also comprising Justice BR Gava

CPI(M) aiming to recover WB base, unite Left forces against TMC, BJP: Karat

The CPI(M) is aiming to recover its base in West Bengal and will try to bring together "Left and democratic forces" against both the TMC and the BJP, party leader Prakash Karat has said. He added that no discussions had been held on whether the Left Front and the Congress would contest the assembly polls, due in 2026, in an alliance. In an interview with PTI, the CPI(M) interim coordinator stressed that the party losing ground in West Bengal was a major reason behind its declining electoral strength. The CPI(M) is focusing on working among the rural poor to regain its traditional support base, Karat said. Asked about the party's standing in West Bengal, which the CPI(M)-led Left Front governed for 34 years between 1977 and 2011 before losing to the TMC, the veteran leader highlighted the recent mobilisations of youngsters, including during the protests against the RG Kar rape and murder incident. "I am not talking only about our party but all Left and progressive forces (that) cam

Internet suspended in parts of Birbhum's Sainthia in Bengal till March 17

The prohibitory order, suspending internet and call services, cited concerns over the potential spreading of "rumours for unlawful activities"

BJP rejects Mamata's claim on Bengal leading in investments as 'lie'

The BJP on Thursday rejected as a "lie" West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's assertion that the state is a front-runner in receiving big industrial investment intentions, alleging that it ranks much lower in its share of actual investment. Banerjee on Wednesday said the state has emerged as a front-runner in receiving concrete big industrial investment intentions. Citing a report published by the central government's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the chief minister claimed Bengal has surpassed all the states in attracting (big) corporate industrial investment intentions in 2024. BJP's co-incharge for the state, Amit Malviya, said in a post on X, "Stop lying Mamata Banerjee. Here is a fact check on West Bengal's Investment Intentions vs Actual Investment." Citing official figures, he said West Bengal ranked fourth in investment intentions for January-November 2024, attracting proposals worth Rs 39,133 crore (7.45 per cent of total investmen

Police record West Bengal education minister's statement over JU violence

The police have recorded the statement of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu in connection with an FIR lodged against him and others in the recent incident of violence at Jadavpur University, a senior officer said. Based on a complaint by Jadavpur University student Indranuj Roy who was injured during the incident on March 1, the FIR was registered against Basu, JU professor and TMC leader Om Prakash Mishra and others. "The minister was asked about the entire incident...how he was attacked and other details. The minister's statement has been recorded," the officer said on Tuesday. Police officers had earlier spoken to Basu's driver, Rehan Molla, and Mishra. The student was injured after the minister's car allegedly grazed past him and others during protests on March 1 on the JU campus. Relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), including the one dealing with someone voluntarily causing hurt, assaulting or criminal force against a woman with the intent to

West Bengal minister rejects Centre's new labour law, calls it 'misleading'

Stating that the new labour law introduced by the BJP-led central government was "befooling" workers, West Bengal Labour minister Moloy Ghatak on Tuesday told the Assembly that the state government would not comply with them. Ghatak alleged that if the law was implemented, numerous workers would be deprived of social security like Provident Fund and benefits of the Employees' State Insurance (ESI). The minister called on everyone to fight together against the new labour law of the Centre. He claimed that the new labour rules of the central government state that if someone was earning more than Rs 15,000 per month, then he could no longer be called a worker. Ghatak also briefed the Assembly about the various steps taken by the state government for the development of the working class. He said that the state government would continue raising the salary of the tea garden workers as long as the minimum wage approved by the Labour Board was implemented. He alleged that the erstwhile Le

Bengal tops in MSME manufacturing industries in India: CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal topped the list in MSME manufacturing industries and also recorded the highest percentage of women-headed establishments in the country, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday. Citing the recently published findings of the 'Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises' conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), Banerjee highlighted Bengal's outstanding performance in multiple sectors. "Happy to share that the recently published findings of the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises' conducted by the National Statistics Office, Government of India, once again establish Bengal's top position in MSME manufacturing industries and, simultaneously, our women's wonderful performance there," Banerjee posted on X. The state recorded the highest percentage of women-headed establishments in the country, at 36.4 per cent, she said. Banerjee added that the state has emerged as the leader in workers engaged in 'Manufacturing Enterprises,' contributing

RG Kar case: Mother of murdered doctor seeks meeting with PM for justice

Mother of the RG Kar hospital medic who was raped and murdered on Saturday said she and her husband would like to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek justice for their daughter. Speaking on International Women's Day, the bereaved mother also raised a question over the safety and security of women in West Bengal. "I would like to meet the PM and appeal to him to intervene in the matter and look into our appeal for justice for our deceased doctor," she said. The 31-year-old junior doctor was raped-killed at the state-run hospital in Kolkata on August 9 last year, triggering national outrage. "Our daughter had dreamt big, and we never thought that she would have to die such a death. It's been seven months since she left us, but where is justice? We do not even have the death certificate," she claimed. "If a woman doctor is unsafe at her workplace, then where is the security?" she questioned. Reacting to the mother's wish to meet the PM, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul said, "There is a

Fight for worship continues in WB, 130 Dalit families denied temple entry

Threatened, ostracised and pushed to the edge, a group of about 130 Dalit families in West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman district are pinning their final hopes on police and district administration to end a caste-based discriminatory tradition of three centuries and receive their Constitutionally-guaranteed right to worship their God. The families at Daspara area of Gidhgram village, all having 'Das' surnames and belonging to the traditional community of cobblers and weavers, have allegedly been forced to stay away from the steps of Gidheswar Shiv temple, the only place of worship in the locality, by the shrine committee and other villagers on grounds that they belong to a "low caste", victims alleged. At their wits' end, victims at the receiving end of this discrimination now plan to take "the fight to the end" and even seek legal recourse if the state administration fails to resolve the crisis. The discriminatory practice almost unheard in modern Bengal and violative of Article 25 of t

EC's clarification on duplicate voter ID numbers a cover-up: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday dismissed the Election Commission's clarifications on duplicate voter ID numbers as a "cover-up" and cited the poll panel's own guidelines to assert that two cards cannot have the same number. The TMC on Monday alleged a "scam" in issuing duplicate voter ID card numbers and gave the poll panel a 24-hour deadline to "accept its mistake". On Tuesday, party Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale shared on X excerpts from the 'Handbook For Electoral Registration Officers' to counter the poll panel's clarifications on the issue, which was first raised by party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "Yesterday, All India Trinamool Congress had given Election Commission of India 24 hours to admit and accept their blunder on the duplicate voter ID fraud issue. Clearly, the ECI, which has been exposed, wants to brazen it out," Gokhale said. "The 'clarification' given by ECI (on Sunday) in response to CM Mamata Banerjee is actually a cover-up. They have

Centre releases Rs 699 crore grants for rural local bodies in West Bengal

The Centre has released the 15th Finance Commission Grants for the Financial Year 202425 for Rural Local Bodies in West Bengal, which includes the second installment of Untied Grants of Rs 694.4 crore and the withheld portion of the first installment of Untied Grants of Rs 4.9 crore. According to the Panchayati Raj Ministry, these funds are for the 21 eligible District Panchayats, 326 eligible Block Panchayats and 3,220 eligible Gram Panchayats. The Ministry said the Untied Grants would be utilised by Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) for location-specific needs under the Twenty-Nine (29) Subjects enshrined in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, except for salaries and other establishment costs. The Tied Grants can be used for the basic services of sanitation and maintenance of ODF status, and this should include management and treatment of household waste, human excreta and fecal sludge management in particular and supply of drinking water, ...

EC must admit error within 24 hours on duplicate voter card numbers: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Monday expressed dissatisfaction with the Election Commission's response on the duplication of voter card numbers, saying the poll panel must accept the error within 24 hours. Addressing a press conference here, TMC Rajya Sabha Parliamentary Party Leader Derek O'Brien said if the EC fails to do it, the party would come out with more documents on the issue on Tuesday morning. O'Brien, along with TMC Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose and Lok Sabha MP Kirti Azad, displayed lists with details of voter id cards with the same EPIC number, and said most of them were from states ruled by the BJP. "We want only residents of a state to vote in that state. Only voters of Bengal to vote in Bengal... Voters will not be allowed to vote as their votes will be cast by people with identical EPIC numbers," O'Brien said. "These people will be sneaked in from other states to vote. This is unacceptable," he added. Amid reports flagging issuance of identical voter card

EC statement on duplicate EPIC numbers confirms anomalies in Bengal: TMC

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal said Sunday's statement by the Election Commission that duplicate numbers do not necessarily imply fake voters backed its claims about the inclusion of non-resident voters in the state's electoral list to help a particular party. Amid reports flagging issuance of identical voter card numbers to electors in two different states, the EC in a statement said while elector photo identity card (EPIC) numbers of some voters "may be identical," other details such as demographic information, assembly constituency and polling booth are different. "Irrespective of the EPIC number, any elector can cast a vote only at their designated polling station in their respective constituency in their state or Union territory where they are enrolled in the electoral rolls and nowhere else," the EC said. TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh told reporters that the EC's statement "confirms our claims that there are names in the electoral list which had .

TMC begins voter list verification amid allegations of manipulation by BJP

Trinamool Congress leaders on Saturday began a door-to-door campaign to scrutinise the electoral rolls amid allegations of voter list manipulation by the BJP ahead of next year's assembly polls in West Bengal. Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim personally carried out the voter list verification drive in the Chetla area of south Kolkata. The BJP is trying to manipulate the electoral rolls by bringing in fake voters from other states. So, along with our party workers, we are on a door-to-door visit to verify the voter list, Hakim told reporters. Local TMC leaders were also busy in a similar exercise in the Bhabanipur assembly constituency of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The verification drive is being carried out by party workers in other places as well, as instructed by Banerjee, also the TMC supremo. TMC claimed that several individuals from other states were found to have been registered under the same EPIC number of genuine voters of West Bengal. Banerjee has called them "ghost ...

They have brought voters from B'desh: BJP slams Mamata, Abhishek Banerjee

Earlier, CM Mamata Banerjee alleged that BJP was manipulating the voters' list with the blessing of the Election Commissioner

Mamata sets target of winning over 215 seats in 2026 Bengal Assembly polls

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday set an ambitious target of securing over 215 seats in the 2026 elections to the 294-member assembly, asserting that her party Trinamool Congress (TMC) would ensure a significant reduction in the BJP's tally. The BJP bagged 77 seats in the 2021 assembly elections. We will win more than 215 seats out of 294, in the next Bengal assembly polls and make sure the BJP's numbers decline further, Banerjee said while addressing a party meeting. Taking a dig at the BJP, the TMC supremo recalled the saffron party's slogans in the past elections. In the 2021 assembly polls, BJP leaders said 200 paar' but were defeated. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, they claimed '400 paar' but they could not even secure a majority. What Abhishek (Banerjee) said is absolutely correct. We will achieve a two-thirds majority, but you must ensure an even bigger victory. This time, BJP nominees must lose their deposits, she said. Echoing Mamata Banerjee's ...

Mamata Banerjee slams Centre over deportation of Indians from US in chains

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday strongly condemned the deportation of "illegal" Indian immigrants from the United States in chains, calling it "shameful", and questioned why the BJP-led central government did not send planes to bring them back. Addressing a party conference here, Banerjee criticised the Centre for its alleged silence on the issue, decrying the lack of dignity in the repatriation process. She asserted that the government should have ensured their return with respect. Whenever elections approach, the BJP talks about infiltration, but our citizens are deported from the US in chains. Those who returned were brought back in chains. Why? It is a matter of shame for the country, she said. Drawing a comparison, Banerjee pointed out that Colombia arranged planes to bring back its citizens, and questioned why the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre could not do the same. If Colombia can send planes to bring back its citizens, why can't our central ..

West Bengal cabinet gives nod to fix Rs 900 per quintal as MSP for potatoes

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that the state cabinet gave its approval to fix Rs 900 per quintal as the minimum support price for potatoes. "We have decided to fix the new minimum support price (MSP) for potatoes at Rs 900 per quintal to help the farmers. This will also ensure that they do not have to resort to distress sale of their produce," Banerjee said at a press conference at the state secretariat. She also criticised the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for releasing water without informing her government and thus damaging the crops (potatoes) in the fields. "The state government has created a corpus of Rs 321 crore for providing crop insurance to the farmers," she said, adding that her government would purchase somewhat damaged potatoes from the farmers to ensure that they do not face any loss. The cabinet also decided that the inauguration of the Jagannath Temple at the popular coastal town of Digha in Purba Medinipur district will be held on .