Page 79 - West Bengal

Mamata Banerjee reshuffles ministry, shifts Supriyo from tourism to IT, RE

In a ministerial reshuffle on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shifted Babul Supriyo from the tourism department and gave him the charges of Information Technology and renewable energy, a senior official said. Another singer-politician Indranil Sen, who was the minister of state for the technical education, training, and skill development department was given the Independent charge of the tourism department, he added. Forest Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick was given additional charges of the department of public enterprises and industrial reconstruction, the bureaucrat said. Banerjee effected the reshuffle on the eve of embarking on a trip to Dubai and Spain to seek investments.

Governer Bose writes confidential letters to Centre, West Bengal govt

A day after West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu accused him of trying to "destroy" the higher education system in the state and running a "puppet regime" in universities, Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday warned of a much bigger action at midnight. As the clock was nearing midnight, a Raj Bhavan official said Bose had "signed two confidential sealed letters", one for the state secretariat, Nabanna, and another for the Centre. On the content of the letters, the official said "it would be disclosed later". "The governor signed two confidential letters tonight, one meant for Nabanna and the other for Delhi," the official added. "You will come to know the content of the letters later," the official told PTI, hinting that the subject could be on the recent war of words between the governor and the state government. Incidentally, Bose signed the letters a couple of hours after holding an elaborate meeting with chief secretary HK Dwivedi at Raj Bhavan. The topic of the meeting,

24 pilgrims from West Bengal wounded in bus accident near Lucknow

Two dozen people were injured when a private tourist bus carrying over 60 pilgrims from Medinipur, West Bengal fell into a roadside ditch on the Bareilly-Lucknow national highway at Jang Bahadur Ganj (JB Ganj) bypass near Allipur village on Saturday morning, police said. Ten of the wounded were transported to the neighbouring Shahjahanpur district for treatment, JB Ganj police outpost in-charge Hemant Katiyar told PTI. All injured were reported to be out of danger barring a woman identified as Madhumita, who got a head injury, Katiyar said. The bus driver and his helper fled after the accident. Pilgrims said they had boarded the bus on August 25 and after visiting Gaya, Bodhgaya, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Vrindavan and Haridwar, were on their way to Ayodhya and Varanasi. In another incident nearby, two brothers were killed and a third got injured after the motorcycle they were travelling on was hit by a bus in the Mirzapur Police Station area of the district. "One Musharraf (30) and

Bypoll results 2023: BJP wins in Tripura, Uttarakhand, Congress in Kerala

The bypolls are seen as a significant test for the Opposition alliance INDIA against the ruling BJP-led NDA, with implications for upcoming state elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls

It's people's victory: Mamata on West Bengal's Dhupguri bypoll result

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee described her party's win in the Dhupguri bypolls on Friday as a "victory of the people". The ruling TMC wrested the Dhupguri seat from the BJP. She congratulated candidates for defeating the BJP in the bypolls in four seats in various states saying it was a big win for the INDIA coalition. The BJP lost in Dumri (Jharkhand), Puthuppally (Kerala), Ghosi (Uttar Pradesh) and Dhupguri, the ECI said. "Dhupguri is a big win. The seat was with the BJP. It's a historic win and I congratulate all the people of Dhupguri. This is a win of the people," Banerjee told reporters at the city airport before leaving for New Delhi. At the national capital, Banerjee will attend President Droupadi Murmu's G20 dinner invitation on Saturday. "I would like to congratulate all those who beat the BJP to win the bypolls. The BJP has lost four bypolls out of the seven held on September 5. This is a big win for INDIA. I want people to ta

TMC wrests West Bengal's Dhupguri assembly seat from BJP in bypoll

The ruling TMC wrested the Dhupguri assembly seat in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district on Friday from the BJP in a by-election, officials said. TMC candidate Nirmal Chandra Roy, a college professor, won the seat by over 4,000 votes. His nearest rival was BJP's Tapasi Roy, the widow of a CRPF jawan killed in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir in 2021, they said. CPI(M) candidate Ishwar Chandra Roy, who was backed by the Congress, was at a distant third spot, they added. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said the people of Dhupguri embraced politics of development over hatred and bigotry. "Saluting every AITC worker for their tireless efforts in connecting with the people. We're committed to leaving no stone unturned in ensuring Dhupguri's all-round development," he posted on X. The counting was held amid tight security at the Jalpaiguri II campus of North Bengal University. The polling for the by-election was held on September 5. A voter turnout of 78 per cent

CM Banerjee raises pay of West Bengal MLAs by Rs 40,000 per month

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced a hike of Rs 40,000 per month in salaries of MLAs of West Bengal. Banerjee, who made the announcement in the House, said there will be no revision in the chief minister's salary as she has not been drawing any pay for a long time. "The salary of MLAs of the West Bengal Assembly is much less than that of other states. So, it has been decided that their monthly salaries will be hiked by Rs 40,000. The MLAs used to get 10,000, ministers of state used to get 10,900 and ministers in-charge Rs 11,000. Now, they will get 50,000, 50,900 and 51,000 per month," she said. Banerjee, however, didn't give a breakup of the actual salaries of lawmakers after the hike, including allowances and extra pay as members of the various standing committees. Banerjee said although the MLAs' allowances are being increased, "no proposal is being made to increase the salary of the chief minister." "After the salary increase, the salary of the West Bengal Ch

Will continue to fight to make Bengal universities free of corruption: Guv

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, in a video message on Thursday, asserted that he will continue his fight to make state universities free of corruption and violence. His comment comes at a time when the state government and the Raj Bhavan are embroiled in a war of words over the appointments of interim vice-chancellors of some state universities by the governor. "I want universities in the state to be free of violence and be the best in India," Governor Bose said. He promised in the name of Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhas Chandra and Swami Vivekananda to continue to fight for a "corruption-free academia". Speaking about the Raj Bhavan's recent move to appoint interim VCs, Bose said, "I have appointed them as apex court ruled against some of the appointments earlier made by the state government." "There were allegations of corruption, sexual harassment and political interference against some VCs who were earlier appointed...five VCs who resigned told me in confidence that th

2,000 bottles of banned cough syrup seized, three arrested in Bengal

Around 2,000 bottles of banned cough syrup Phensedyl were seized and three people were arrested on Tuesday in West Bengal's Nadia district which borders Bangladesh, police said. Acting on a tip-off, police intercepted two vehicles in Natunpara in Bhimpur police station area and seized the cough syrup bottles, while arresting the occupants, a police officer said. The arrested persons are residents of Nadia's Karimpur, which is close to the India-Bangladesh border. Phensedyl contains codeine, which is a narcotic drug that causes addiction when used in large quantities over a period of time. The cough syrup is used as an intoxicant in Bangladesh as an alternative to alcohol.

Around 76% votes turnover till 5 pm in West Bengal's Dhupguri assembly

Around 76 per cent of 2.6 lakh eligible voters exercised their franchise in the by-election to the Dhupguri assembly seat in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district till 5 pm on Tuesday, an official said. Two BJP leaders including an MLA, who are not residents of the constituency, were found in a party office. One of them, the BJP district president, had to leave as he could not show any document allowing him entry into Dhupguri during the voting. "Till 5 pm, 75.82 per cent of votes were cast. Tight security measures are in place and there is an adequate number of forces, the Election Commission official told PTI. All the booths are manned by central paramilitary forces, and the casting of votes will continue till 6.30 pm, he said. Meanwhile, Falakata BJP MLA Dipak Barman and district party president Bapi Goswami were present at an election office in the constituency though they are not residents of Dhupguri. As per the rules, outsiders are not permitted to enter the constituency during

WB Dhupguri bypoll: A litmus test for parties ahead of Lok Sabha elections

The triangular contest will be a litmus test for these major parties mainly for the INDIA bloc which are pitted against each other in Dhupguri

Bring Bengal's workers back: CM Mamata Banerjee to builders, investors

The proposed Bengal Silicon Valley Tech Hub in New Town, Kolkata, is also expected to attract investment of Rs 30,000 crore

Seven Assembly seats across six states to go to bypolls on September 5

The seats to go to polls include Dumri in Jharkhand, Puthuppally in Kerala, Boxanagar and Dhanpur in Tripura, Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh, and Dhupguri in West Bengal

Early bond recall: Notify each holder

The National Commission ruled that public notices weren't sufficient. To avoid liability, the bank must send individual notifications and produce proof of having served them

'Crores will be saved': BJP's Adhikari on 'One Nation, One Election

Earlier in the day, the Centre constituted an eight-member High-Level Committee to examine the issue of 'one nation, one election' and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections

WB blast: Supply chain kingpin arrested, sent to police custody till Sep 8

The alleged supply chain kingpin in the Duttapukur blast case was arrested and sent to police custody till September 8 after being produced before a court, police said on Saturday. The accused, who had fled to Chennai after the blast in an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Duttapukur area in North 24 Parganas district on August 27, was nabbed following his return to Kolkata on Thursday, a senior police officer said. He was produced before a court in Barasat on Friday and remanded to police custody till September 8. "The man had fled to Chennai after the incident. Based on prior information, a team of the West Bengal Police Special Task Force arrested him as soon as he stepped out of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Thursday," the officer said. He is suspected to have been involved in procuring finished fireworks from the illegal units in Duttapukur, including the one in which the blast occurred, and supplying those to clients, the officer said. The .

Specially abled people exempted from payment of motor vehicles tax in WB

Divyangjan ownership type motor vehicles will be exempted from payment of motor vehicle tax in West Bengal, a state transport department notification said. All motor vehicles registering authorities in the state have been directed to act accordingly, the notification dated August 29 said. The notification issued by transport secretary Saumitra Mohan said motor vehicles registered under the ownership type Divyangjan are exempted from payment of the tax under the West Bengal Motor Vehicles Act till the date a Divyang person is its registered owner. It also said that applications are being received from persons with benchmark disabilities for recording the ownership type as 'Divyangjan' in registration certificates of motor vehicles owned by them to avail various exemptions granted by the government. The notification said the central ministry of heavy industries has facilitated motor vehicles of persons with minimum 40 per cent orthopaedic physical disability to be considered as ...

Mamata to visit Spain, Dubai in September to attract investments: Official

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit Dubai and Spain in September to attract investments, a senior official said on Thursday. The central government has given its nod to Banerjee's trip, which is expected in the second week of September, he said. Banerjee will most likely fly to Dubai on September 13, and visit Spain thereafter, the official said. Her trip could continue till September 23. The chief minister is expected to meet industrialists and business tycoons in the two foreign countries," he said. In 2021, the Centre had not granted Banerjee permission to visit Rome, where she was scheduled to attend a world peace conference.

Bengal education dept to sanction Rs 37 lakh for CCTV cameras on JU campus

The West Bengal higher education department is likely to sanction Rs 37 lakh to Jadavpur University (JU) for installing CCTV cameras on the campus following an uproar over the death of a 17-year-old student on August 10 because of alleged ragging. A higher education department official told PTI on Wednesday that while it has in principle decided to sanction the amount, it was yet to send the final proposal to the finance department with specific details. "In principle, the amount has sanctioned by the higher education department but the process of sending the file to the finance department is yet to start," he said. Officiating vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau told PTI, "I have heard about the sanction of funds from media reports, but we are yet to get any official communication from the government. Whenever the amount comes, it will help the university to start installing CCTV cameras on the campus." To a question about a section of SFI students opposing the installation of CCTV came

BJP demands NIA probe into blast at Bengal's illegal firecracker unit

Leader of the Opposition and BJP legislator Suvendu Adhikari on Monday demanded an NIA probe into the blast at an illegal firecracker factory in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, that claimed nine lives. BJP staged a walkout from the assembly on Monday, protesting against the incident which occurred a day before. "Before all the evidence is destroyed, the state government must immediately hand over the probe to the NIA. We have also filed a PIL before the bench of Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, which has been admitted," Adhikari said while speaking to reporters on the assembly premises. The saffron party leader also said the intensity of the blast was so huge that the concrete terrace of the neighbourhood houses was severely damaged. "The huge intensity of the blast was due to RDX explosive," he claimed. The intensity of the explosion was so high that over 50 houses in the neighbourhood were partially damaged and body parts of those killed in the incident were found