Page 24 - West Bengal

Bengal Guv to lead search ops at Raj Bhavan for arms after TMC's blame

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose will lead a team of security personnel, who would carry out a search operation at the Raj Bhavan on Monday in the wake of allegations by a TMC MP that arms and ammunition were stacked within its premises, an official said. Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee had on Saturday accused Bose of "sheltering BJP criminals" inside the Raj Bhavan and "arming them with bombs and guns". "The entire Raj Bhavan will be searched by a joint team of the Kolkata Police and central forces deputed here on Monday to find out whether there are arms and ammunition stacked inside. The Governor will be leading the search operation," the official told PTI. Members of the civil society and journalists will be allowed to accompany Bose during the exercise, he said. The TMC MP had made the allegations on Saturday, hours after Bose said that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was essential to "clean up the election process". Bose on Sunday said he so

Bengal govt's telemedicine consulations surpass 70 mn mark: CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the state government's telemedicine services reached a major milestone, with its Swasthya Ingit' initiative crossing 7 crore consultations. Health care in West Bengal achieves yet another milestone. #Swasthyaingit, a unique GoWB initiative to connect remote areas with higher level health facilities through telemedicine, crossed 7 crores consultations landmark today, Banerjee said on X. The programme is playing a crucial role in linking remote and underserved regions with specialised medical care, supported by a vast network of health centres, hubs and doctors across the state, she said. The initiative delivers daily teleconsultations via 11,000+ health and wellness centres and 63 hubs at higher health facilities. It enables 80,000+ consultations daily with 9000+ doctors transforming affordable and accessible healthcare in West Bengal, the CM said.

Operators hail plan to allow over 15-yr-old buses to ply with fitness nod

The association of bus operators on Sunday welcomed the West Bengal government draft notification, which stated that over-15-year-old stage carriers registered in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area will be allowed to ply with bi-annual fitness certificates. The state government presented the draft notification before the Calcutta High Court. The court held that there is no scope for further adjudication in a petition filed by a private bus owners' association, as their grievances were mitigated in the draft notification presented before it by the government. Disposing of the petition on Friday, Justice Rai Chattopadhyay gave liberty to the West Bengal government to publish the draft notification as submitted before the court at the earliest point in time. The draft notification said, "Stage carriage buses registered in Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) only shall be allowed to ply beyond 15 years of age from the day of initial registration." Welcoming the order, the Secretary of Joint ...

WBSSC releases interview list for 20,500 teacher recruitment candidates

The West Bengal School Service Commission on Saturday uploaded the interview list of 20,500 candidates who qualified in the teacher recruitment test for classes 11 and 12 in state-run and state-aided higher secondary schools held on September 14. A senior SSC official said the list, containing the names and roll numbers, has been uploaded on the WBSSC website and a helpline portal. "Around 20,500 candidates have been called for the interview after mandatory verification," he said. "The interview list has been prepared based on three criteria: how a candidate has scored in the written test (60 marks), teaching experience (10 marks) and eligibility (10 marks)," he said. The interviews will follow a 1:1.6 ratio, meaning for 100 posts in each subject, 160 candidates will be called. The September 14 test was held in 478 centres for 35 subjects each having 60 marks. The official said most of the 'untainted' candidates of the 2016 test, among the 26,000 whose jobs were invalidated follo

Massive fire breaks out in electronics goods warehouse in Kolkata

A major fire broke out on Saturday morning in a multi-storey building in the central part of the city's Ezra Street area, police said. No one was injured in the fire, the police said. At least 20 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze that originated in an electronics goods warehouse and quickly spread through the congested area, they said. The fire has not yet been brought under control, even six hours after it broke out, they said. "The fire broke out at around 5.30 am, and 20 fire engines were deployed to control the blaze. Our firefighters began operations on arrival, but despite several hours of continuous effort, the fire has not yet been fully contained," a senior official of the state Fire Services department said. "There is no increase in the number of fire tenders. But the fire is yet to be brought under control," the official told PTI. "No casualties were reported, no individuals were trapped inside the building at the time of the incident. Emergency

Bihar Assembly poll results won't have any bearing on West Bengal: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Friday asserted that the poll results in neighbouring Bihar, where the BJP-led NDA is heading towards a landslide victory to retain power, will not have any impact on next year's assembly elections in West Bengal. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh claimed in a post on X that the Mamata Banerjee-led party will come to power for the fourth time with over 250 seats. He said the Bihar poll results also showed again that the Congress failed in its opposition to BJP. "That is Bihar's equation. It has no connection with Bengal. It will not affect Bengal. In Bengal, the factors are development, unity, harmony, rights, and self-respect. With 250+ seats, Mamata Banerjee will become chief minister again," Ghosh, a former Rajya Sabha MP, said. "It has once again been provenand repeatedly demonstratedthat the Congress has failed in its opposition to the BJP," he said. The TMC leader said there will be curiosity about which direction the BJPJD(U) relationship in Bihar goes.

Assam's new military station to boost security, intelligence: Experts

Amid apprehensions of increased cross-border crimes, activities by fundamentalist groups and alleged attempts by the Bangladesh caretaker government to create pressure on the chicken's neck' corridor that connects the North East with the rest of India, the upcoming army base in Assam has assumed special significance, experts said. Such a facility will boost border security and help the authorities concerned enhance intelligence, they said. Barely 40 km from the international border with Bangladesh, the Lachit Borphukan Military Station is being set up by the Indian Army at Bamunigaon in Assam's Dhubri district the first one in the western sector of the state. Lieutenant General RC Tiwari, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, laid the foundation stone for the facility last week during a visit to forward areas. The decision to set up the camp is a welcome one due to the prevailing situation in Bangladesh, Brigadier (retd) Ranjit Kumar Borthakur told PTI. The closes

SC seeks EC reply on pleas challenging SIR in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal

The Supreme Court asked high courts in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Puducherry and Bihar to pause hearings on voter list pleas till it decides the matter; next hearing is on November 26

Online filling up of SIR forms starts in Bengal, response good: Official

The online filling up of the enumeration forms (EFs) for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has been enabled on the website of the Election Commission of India voters' service portal, a senior official at the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said on Saturday. The service has been enabled on Friday night and is available for the voters to fill up the EFs, he said. Several operational issues, including website malfunctions, have marred the online form-filling process for the SIR in West Bengal. "The portal has been enabled, and people will be able to 'Fill Enumeration Form' on the portal. They can also look for their names in the 'Search Your Name in Last SIR' option," he told PTI. The service aims to assist voters who are away from their homes or working outside the state during the revision period. "Those whose EPIC cards are not linked with their mobile numbers must first complete the linking process on the same portal before filling the form. Voters unable to

Over 7 mn forms distributed on 1st day of West Bengal voter enumeration

As part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, more than 70 lakh enumeration forms were distributed by over 80,000 booth-level officers (BLOs) on the first day of their house-to-house visits across the state, an official said on Wednesday. The month-long exercise began in the state on Tuesday and will continue till December 4. "On Tuesday, over 70 lakh enumeration forms were distributed by the BLOs," an official of the Election Commission told PTI. BLOs continued visiting the residences of voters across West Bengal on Wednesday to distribute the enumeration forms, he said. "Adequate security personnel are accompanying the BLOs for their safety. Yesterday, there were no untoward incidents reported from anywhere in the state. If any resistance is reported against a BLO, we immediately instruct the district electoral officers (DEOs) to investigate," the official said. As part of the process, 80,681 BLOs have been deployed across the 294 assembly ..

SIR exercise to begin in Bengal, UP today amid charged political climate

The Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will begin in West Bengal on Tuesday, amid soaring political temperatures over the routine administrative exercise in the state. The exercise turned into a political battleground, pitting the BJP's clout and the poll body's push for "transparency" against the TMC's grassroots resistance ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls. While the BJP has welcomed the SIR as a step towards ensuring greater transparency in the electoral rolls, the ruling TMC has questioned its timing and intent, alleging that the Election Commission (EC) is acting under pressure from the saffron party to manipulate the voter list ahead of the state elections next year. With both parties treating the SIR as a prelude to the 2026 Assembly elections, the contest has morphed into what many in political circles describe as "the battle of two forces, the administrative and the organisational". The BJP, buoyed by the Election Commission's "proacti

Bengal's Swasthya Sathi scheme crosses 10 mn hospitalisations: CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the state's flagship health assurance scheme, 'Swasthya Sathi', has crossed a significant milestone of one crore hospitalisations as of October 31. She said under the scheme, residents have received cashless medical treatment worth Rs 13,156 crore, fully funded from the state budget, she said. "Swasthya Sathi' -- the all-inclusive, unique health assurance scheme of Government of West Bengal has achieved one crore hospitalisations mark on 31st October 2025, where cashless health care benefit of Rs. 13,156 crore has been provided to the citizens of WEST BENGAL entirely from the State Budget," Banerjee posted on X. Highlighting the inclusivity of the initiative, the chief minister said that any resident of the state who is not covered under another state-sponsored health scheme is eligible for Swasthya Sathi benefits. "Any resident of West Bengal is eligible to avail the benefits of 'Swasthya Sathi', if not covered by any other

Election Commission begins training booth-level officers for SIR in Bengal

The Election Commission on Saturday began a training programme for booth-level officers (BLOs) in West Bengal for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The training programme, being held in various districts, would be completed by November 3, with the SIR process scheduled to begin the following day, officials said. In south Kolkata's Nazrul Mancha, training was underway for BLOs of Bhabanipur, Rashbehari, Ballygunge, Tollygunge, Kasba, Jadavpur, Metiabruz, Behala Purba and Behala Paschim assembly constituencies, they said. The sessions are being held in batches, they added. The EC has issued a 16-point guideline for BLOs as part of the SIR exercise, and introduced a new mobile app to streamline field operations, officials said. During the training, BLOs are being provided with special kits and detailed instructions on the SIR process, they added. From November 4 to December 4, BLOs will visit households to carry out voter verification and form-filling work. A

Cyclone Montha weakens, IMD warns of heavy rain in parts of Bengal

Cyclone Montha', which has gradually weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area, will bring heavy rain in some districts of West Bengal till Saturday, the IMD said. The weather system, which is situated over south Chhattisgarh, is likely to move northwards towards east Madhya Pradesh and weaken further, the India Meteorological Department said in a bulletin. It is likely to bring heavy to very heavy rain (7-20 cm) at one or two places in the north Bengal districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar and 7-11 cm precipitation in Malda, Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur on Friday, it said. Heavy rainfall is also likely in Alipurduar and Coochbehar on Saturday. The IMD warned that landslides may occur in the hilly areas of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, owing to the downpour. The south Bengal districts of Birbhum, Murshidabad, Paschim Bardhaman and Purulia are also expected to receive heavy rainfall till Friday. Light to moderate rain is likely over man

Bengal MGNREGA row: SC nixes Centre's plea against HC order to resume works

The Supreme Court upholds the Calcutta High Court's directive to restart MGNREGA works in West Bengal, ending a prolonged standoff over halted rural job funds

Cyclone Montha: Severe storm expected; red alerts in Andhra, Odisha, Bengal

Cyclone Montha, brewing over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to make landfall near Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada coast as a severe cyclonic storm on October 28.

Rashmi Group to invest ₹10,000 cr in steel, power plant in West Bengal

The Kolkata-based group to set up a 2.8 MTPA steel plant and 400 MW captive power facility in Purulia, with state-backed fast-track clearances under ultra mega status

EC may appoint volunteers to assist in SIR of West Bengal electoral rolls

The Election Commission of India (ECI) may appoint volunteers to assist booth-level officers (BLOs) during the probable special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, a senior official said on Sunday. The volunteers are likely to be drawn from among government employees in each block for the exercise that may be launched soon, he said. "This is at the planning stage... These assistants will help the BLOs fill out enumeration forms and may also be deployed as substitutes, if required," the official told PTI. The volunteers will primarily be assigned to polling stations having more than 1,200 voters, he added. "As a result of this cap on the number of voters per booth, the number of polling booths in the state is likely to increase by around 14,000, from the existing 80,000 to around 94,000," the official said. For the exercise, the block development officers (BDOs) in several districts have written to school inspectors seeking lists of permanent teachers, clerk

Cyclonic storm to bring heavy rain to West Bengal districts from Oct 28

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, which is in the process of intensifying into a cyclonic storm, will bring heavy rain in some districts of West Bengal from October 28-31, the IMD said on Sunday. It advised fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the West Bengal coast from October 28-30, and asked all those already in the waters to return by October 27. The weather system, which is likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclone on October 28 night, will start bringing light to moderate rain in some south Bengal districts, including Kolkata, South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Howrah, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura and Hooghly, from October 27, the IMD said in a bulletin. Heavy rain will occur at one or two places in the south Bengal districts of North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Howrah, Purulia, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad between October 28 and October 31, it said. The IMD said heavy .

West Bengal CM orders hospitals to tighten security after molestation cases

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday directed officials to ensure the safety and security of patients, visitors and doctors in all medical establishments across the state following incidents of alleged molestation of a minor and a medic at state-run hospitals in Kolkata and Uluberia, a top official said. Banerjee, who addressed a high-level meeting over the phone, directed officials to take all possible measures to prevent any recurrence of such incidents, he said. "She emphasised that harassment of anyone coming for treatment will not be tolerated under any circumstances. She also directed the administration to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards such offences," the bureaucrat told PTI. Banerjee, who is also the state health minister, directed the department to review the existing security arrangements in the hospitals and to strengthen them wherever necessary. "This includes measures such as enhanced training for security personnel, installation and monitori