Page 22 - West Bengal

WB CM hikes salary of govt docs, seeks strict punishment for RG Kar culprit

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a salary hike for government doctors in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. Banerjee, who is also the health minister of the state, announced a fund of Rs 2 crore for each medical college in the state for their cultural and sporting activities. The CM also demanded strict punishment for the culprit in the rape and murder of an on-duty medic inside state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August last year, which triggered widespread agitation by doctors who demanded justice for the deceased, workplace security and redressal of several grievances. The trial court has sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment till death after he was convicted of rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The case is now pending in the Calcutta High Court. Banerjee, while addressing a gathering of senior and junior doctors and medical students here, Banerjee highlighted her government

Demand strict punishment for those behind RG Kar incident: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday referred to the murdered woman doctor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital as her "sister" and extended deepest condolences to the victim's parents. She also demanded strict punishment for those responsible for the crime. Speaking at a special gathering of senior and junior doctors and medical students at Dhono Dhanyo auditorium here, Banerjee highlighted her government's efforts to ensure justice and emphasised the introduction of the Aparajita Bill, which seeks capital punishment for rape convicts. "I extend my condolences to the family of the sister who was killed in RG Kar hospital. We demand proper punishment in this case," Banerjee said. She added, "I had also taken to the streets in protest against the incident. Our government had passed the Aparajita Bill, but it is still pending (with the President)." A 31-year-old junior doctor was raped and killed at the state-run hospital in Kolkata on August 9 last year, triggerin

Sourav Ganguly aims to operationalise steel plant project in 18-20 months

Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly on Friday said that the steel plant project being promoted by him in a partnership at Garbeta in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district is expected to be operational over the next 18-20 months. The much-hyped project is expected to witness an investment of Rs 2,500 crore to establish the 0.8 million tonne per annum (MTPA) steel plant, an official said. "We're building the steel plant. But the problem is that everybody expects it to be ready in two months. But that doesn't happen realistically. Hopefully, we're looking at operations in the next 18-20 months," Ganguly said at an event. "This will be our third and biggest plant. There are several clearances required, including environmental, pollution, and government approvals, which take time," he said. The project was initially proposed at Salboni, but that didn't materialise and now the company has secured land at Garbeta, which is about 26 km from Salboni. "It will be an 8 lakh

Sourav Ganguly's car meets with road accident, ex-cricketer escapes unhurt

The incident occurred when a truck suddenly moved into the path of Ganguly's convoy, prompting the vehicles to brake abruptly

WB courts gave 6 death sentences in last 6 months for crimes against girls

While the last judicial execution in West Bengal for the rape and murder of a minor in Kolkata took place over two decades ago, courts across the state have awarded death penalties to six convicts in the last six months for perpetrating sexual assaults on girls. Another convict was also awarded capital punishment for murdering his family members, taking the total number of death penalties in the state in the last half-year to seven. In six of the seven cases, death by hanging sentences were given for the savage nature of rapes and murders perpetrated on girls, qualifying them under the 'rarest of the rare' category, where convicts were booked under the POCSO Act, besides sections of the IPC and, later, of the BNS. The list excludes the sentence for the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder convict Sanjoy Roy who was spared the capital punishment by a Kolkata court, after the gruesome death of the on-duty trainee medic on August 9 last year, and was sentenced to life imprisonment till ...

Mamata Banerjee's 'Mrityu Kumbh' remark draws flak from seers, leaders

The Sant Samaj has reacted sharply to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee calling the Maha Kumbh the "Mrityu Kumbh", saying her statement is an insult to Sanatan Dharma and demanding her public apology. National secretary of the Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani Mahant Jamuna Puri said it does not befit Banerjee to give such a statement from the responsible position she holds. "The Prayagraj Maha Kumbh is Amrit Parv, the divinity and grandeur of which have been seen by the whole world. She should not use such derogatory words with the name of Maha Kumbh," he said. Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Arun Giri of the Panch Dashnam Awahan Akhara strongly criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo's statement and said, "West Bengal is becoming a 'mrityu pradesh' (state of death) for Hindu Sanatanis. Thousands of Sanatanis are being massacred and lakhs of Hindus have to migrate at the time of elections." "She should worry about her state, not Uttar Pradesh. (Chief Minister) Yog

Women, welfare, rural schemes: Budget sets tone for West Bengal polls

Political analysts believe things are just beginning to heat up ahead of the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly elections in 2026

2 receive 10-year rigorous imprisonment in 2021 Bengal bomb blast case

A special NIA court in Kolkata has sentenced two men to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for their involvement in the 2021 Jaggadal bomb blast case in West Bengal, an official statement said Sunday. The court sent Chand alias Arif Akhtar and Rahul Pasi to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on each offender, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said in a statement. The duo, along with one juvenile, had hurled three bombs in quick succession at the gate next to ex-MP Arjun Singh's office-cum-residence -- Majdoor Bhawan -- at Jaggadal in North 24 Parganas district on September 8, 2021, the statement said. While Akhtar and the juvenile were apprehended by the local police, the NIA, which took over the case on September 14, 2021, arrested Pasi later. The agency had chargesheeted the accused in December 2021. While Pasi and Akhtar were pronounced guilty and sentenced by the NIA special court on Saturday, the juvenile continues to be in parental custody, the

Anti-national activities high in some areas of West Bengal: LoP Adhikari

The BJP leaders in the State have been targeting Mamata Banerjee, accusing her government of giving permission to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingya migrants to settle in the State

No progress on housing, roads, anganwadis under PM-JANMAN in WB: Centre

The Union tribal affairs ministry on Thursday said there had been no progress in West Bengal under PM JANMAN for housing, roads, Anganwadis and student hostels for PVTGs. The Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN), launched in November 2023, aims to provide basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water, education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and livelihood opportunities to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) through 11 specific initiatives led by nine central ministries. PVTGs are characterised by pre-agricultural level of technology, stagnant or declining population growth, extremely low literacy and a subsistence level of economy. Responding to a question by BJP MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durga Das Uikey told the Lok Sabha that one key initiative under PM JANMAN was setting up multi-purpose centres with full funding from the ministry. However, the West Bengal governm

WB Budget's focus on revenue over capex signals poll-year populism: Experts

The West Bengal government's budgetary proposals for a sharp increment in revenue expenditure coupled with a marginal rise in capital outlay for the 2025-26 fiscal look like one that has its eyes clearly set on the state elections due next year, experts said. The budget, tabled before the West Bengal assembly on Wednesday, proposed significant cash dole-outs under the revenue expenditure head, pegged at over Rs 30,000 crore higher in 2025-26 than the revised estimates of the current fiscal of 2024-25, but tendered an increase of less than Rs 12,000 crore under capital outlay for the same period. Revenue expenditures of an organisation are short-term expenses used to service its ongoing operational costs, including salaries of employees, overhead costs and financing welfare schemes, while capital expenditures (capex) are funds used for one-time creation of fixed assets that are expected to generate revenue over a longer period. Figures from the state budget revealed that the Bengal .

TMC's last Budget before polls lays focus on job creation, DA hiked by 4%

Given the focus on social sector schemes, the state is planning market borrowing of over Rs 81,972 crore in 2025-26, projecting the total outstanding debt to go up to Rs 7,71,670 crore

Bengal Budget allocates Rs 1,091 cr for forest dept, Sunderbans Affairs

Emphasising the importance of increasing green cover, the West Bengal budget for 2025-26 allocated Rs 1,091.11 crore for the forest department and Sunderbans Affairs. A senior forest official explained that this allocation would fund projects like the Green India Mission, Integrated Watershed Management, Eco-tourism, afforestation efforts, the state's 100-day work schemes (in the absence of central allocations), School Nursery programmes, and the Sabujshree initiative, among others. Minister MoS (Independent) Chandrima Bhattacharya said the government is committed to enhancing ecological stability by increasing forest and tree cover and conserving wildlife. "A total of 3,584.40 hectares have been afforested under the state development scheme, with 113.34 lakh saplings distributed to the public. Under the Sabujshree initiative, 64 lakh seedlings have been distributed to mothers of newborns until November 2024," she stated in the budget. Additionally, 131.48 hectares of plantations a

Waiting for legal opinion on Tajpur port: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

"Tendering will probably happen again as there is a dispute"

West Bengal's growth driven by fiscal discipline, says Economic Review

The Economic Review for 2024-25 presented by the West Bengal government in the assembly on Wednesday said that the state had achieved growth over the years through fiscal discipline. The review said that in the last 13 years, the West Bengal economy has witnessed tremendous growth. The size of the economy, measured in terms of nominal gross state domestic product (GSDP) has reached a level of Rs 18,15,010 crore in 2024-25. In the same fiscal, the state economy is estimated to grow by 6.80 per cent in real terms. According to the review, fiscal health of the state has improved impressively in the last 13 years. The state's own tax revenue collection has risen by more than four times between 2010-11 to 2023-24. On the other hand, capital expenditure has been consistently increasing since 2011-12. Also, government spending on agriculture and allied sector, rural development and social welfare schemes has increased enormously, the review said. On account of effective fiscal consolida

West Bengal Budget 2025-26: Rs 3.89 trn earmarked to push growth, welfare

West Bengal Budget 2025: Increase in dearness allowance and welfare schemes among key highlights of Budget speech

Rs 3.89 trn Budget for FY26 tabled in Bengal Assembly, DA increased 4%

West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on Wednesday presented the state budget for 2025-26, pegged at Rs 3.89 lakh crore, with a significant focus on social welfare, rural growth and infrastructure. The government has unveiled a series of infrastructure and agricultural development projects in its budget, allocating significant funds for rural connectivity, river erosion control, and agrarian support initiatives. In a key announcement, Bhattacharya announced that the state government would increase the Dearness Allowance (DA) by four per cent from April 1, 2025. This would bring the total DA to 18 per cent for the state employees, providing much-needed relief to them, amid rising inflation.

Parents of deceased RG Kar hospital medic meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

The case involves the rape and murder of a trainee doctor, whose body was found on August 9, 2024, in the RG Kar Hospital's seminar room

WB govt sets up investment synergy panel to improve ease of doing business

The West Bengal government on Saturday formed an investment synergy committee to expedite implementation of project proposals and boost the ease of doing business in the state. A notification to this effect was issued two days after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during the Bengal Global Business Summit, announced that a panel would be set up to ensure ease of doing business in the state. The State-Level Investment Synergy Committee (SLISC), chaired by the chief secretary, will act as a single-window clearance system for investment proposals, ensuring approvals within a mandated timeframe, the notification said. The initiative aims to streamline the process of obtaining necessary clearances and approvals for industrial projects and other investments in the state. The SLISC will include heads of 19 departments, including industry, commerce and enterprises, environment, finance, labour, and urban development. The chief secretary may also include heads of other relevant departments

BJP's Bengal unit hails Delhi poll results, TMC maintains silence

The BJP West Bengal unit on Saturday hailed the party's good performance in the Delhi Assembly polls, terming it a rejection of corruption and nepotism, while the TMC, which had backed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), maintained silence on the outcome. BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said the verdict in Delhi reflected people's faith in development and would serve as a morale booster for party workers in West Bengal ahead of next year's assembly elections. The BJP is poised to form a government in Delhi after more than 26 years, with the latest Election Commission trends showing the saffron party ahead in 45 of the 70 assembly seats and AAP in 21 seats. "The people of Bengal will also vote for the BJP in the next assembly polls and reject the TMC," Majumdar said. Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, took to X to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the victory, calling it a decisive mandate against AAP. "Huge Victory fo