The Sunderbans in the delta of the Ganges in West Bengal plans to introduce home stay in order to improve tourism

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is keen to introduce home stay in a big way. She looks at this as a development tool for the proposed Sunderbans district. This would be carved out from the districts of North and South 24-Parganas. The delta consists of 54 small islands. Here job opportunities are limited and main means of livelihood are fishing and crab hunting. In order to generate alternative livelihood for these people, the Bengal government plans to exploit the region’s tourism potential. It wants to do this through homestays with financial support from the administration. The chief minister, during a public meeting, said “I am trying to bring tourists here…. I have inaugurated nine jetties today (Tuesday) to explore river connectivity so that tourists can come.” She went on to advise residents to set up homestays. This is a facility gaining popularity with tourists in north Bengal. Her advice was - “Take one room in your home and turn it into a homestay accommodation so that tourists can stay. This will help local youths to earn a living.” Mamata advocates for homestay to boost Sunderbans tourism.

She described home stay as gharoa hotel and assured - “They (tourists) can spend a night at your home. We will give you money so that a bio-toilet is installed as well as a cot and a television set. Tourists will pay you for lodging and food in the way they pay for staying in big hotels.” She added that “this is one of the many initiatives that I have planned for you.”

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Durga Puja 2022 is over and the mega carnival will bring down the curtains

All the action will happen on the Red Road. There will be a mega rally of around 99 Durga Puja organizers. They will display their skills and thrill the crowds with their performances. The selection to this elite club is based on winners of the Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman 2022. UNESCO has bestowed a cultural heritage tag on the festival and the organizers have worked round-the-clock to showcase their idols for the big-ticket event. Last month, the government of West Bengal organized a mega rally to felicitate a delegate from UNESCO. In order to ensure smooth operation of the program, the Kolkata Police have issued guidelines. The Kolkata Police have also imposed certain restrictions on the traffic movement for the gala show. With 99 Pujas and 3 minutes allotted for each, it will be a long duration event. It would go on for nearly 300 minutes or 5 hours. Red Road readied for Carnival on Saturday. This importance of this performance stems from the fact that not only will Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee be present, but also that the entire world will be watching.

As per the guidelines of the Police, each committee can bring in three tableaus. The maximum height of the idol (while on the trailer) should be less than 16 feet to avoid collision with electric and telephone wires. Clubs with taller idols can opt for alternate routes. All participants must reach Red Road by 11am on Saturday and the carnival would start at 4pm. Obviously, there would be traffic diversion around the Red Road and movement of goods vehicles will be restricted within the city after 3pm on Saturday.

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Mahalaya brings a festive flavor in Bengal due to Durga Puja

Durga Puja is the most important festival of Bengalis. This year it is special for Bengal because of the recognition accorded to the festival by the UNESCO heritage committee. Hence, the Puja committees have removed all stops to welcome foreign tourists to highlight the hidden talents of those of those who join hands to construct pandals and decorate them. Many of these have out-of-the-world appearances that defy expectations. It is usual for celebrities to grace the occasion of the inauguration. However, this year there appears to be an exception due to whatever reasons. Durga Puja 2022: Why did Bollywood disappear from the glittering Puja event? Fear of ED here? . As it is, there are the old traditional pujas and there are the new wave theme pujas. People flock and move from one pandal to another to enjoy the sights and sounds all around.

Incidentally, it is usual to conduct the inauguration program after Mahalaya, preferably the Panchami. This year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated several pujas much before Panchami. Probably she had to keep in mind the changed equation in view of commodification and commercialization. Durga Puja is the quintessential Bengali festival where the city of Kolkata gives its all. The outbreak of corona forced the devotees to spend the last two years practically sitting at home. Obviously, the excitement for this year’s puja is different.

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Huge sea waves damage a portion of the Marine Drive between Digha and Mandarmani

The 16-Km long Marine Drive between the popular sea beaches Digha and Mandarmani includes three bridges. Completed a few months ago, chief minister Mamata Banerjee was scheduled to inaugurate it. However, huge waves have damaged a portion of the Marine Drive just three days before the inauguration. It seems a well-marked low-pressure area over the west-central and northwest Bay of Bengal intensified into a “deep depression.” This led to a turbulent sea. Cyclone Yaas had washed away a portion in May last year. That led to the construction of a metal road. Mamata Banerjee was expected to visit riding vehicles during the proposed inauguration on September 14. However, heavy rainfall in the last week of August led to damages making it difficult for the movement of traffic. It was repaired but was again damaged by strong sea waves. Waves damage stretch of Marine Drive at Digha. A senior official of the district administration said: “The Marine Drive will be inaugurated informally by the chief minister on September 14 as scheduled during her administrative meeting. But her visit to and ride at the Marine Drive has been postponed for obvious reasons.”

The police administration had “strictly prohibited” sea bathing in Digha and adjacent areas until Tuesday. Other popular sea beaches like Bakkhali, and Kakdwip were closed to tourists. Local sources informed about damages to agricultural production on large areas due to inundation. Irrigation department informed about damages to earthen dykes along many rivers. These included the Kalindi, Gourseshwar, Ichhamati, and the Choto Kalaghachi. The irrigation department has undertaken repair of the dykes on priority.

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More embarrassment for Trinamool Congress as CBI arrests another of its leaders in a chit fund case

In was yet another embarrassment for Trinamool Congress and its supremo Mamata Banerjee. After the arrests of one of her ministers Partho Chatterjee and Anubrato Mondal, a leader of one of its units, the CBI has now arrested yet another of its leaders. The former two were arrested by Enforcement Directorate and the latter by the CBI respectively. Both are agencies of the central government. This time the TMC leader was the chairman of the Halisahar Municipality. His name is Raju Sahani and he is believed to be involved in a chit fund case. The CBI has recovered huge amount of cash from his residence. It seems he has bank accounts in foreign countries and is in possession of documents pertaining to properties worth Rs 2.75 crores. West Bengal: CBI arrests Trinamool Congress leader Raju Sahani in chit fund case. Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of Mamata Banerjee, was also interrogated by Enforcement Directorate regarding the alleged scam related to coal pilferage.

The Trinamool Congress blames the center, labels these arrests as intimidation tactics and says these will not work. The fight is on. As things stand, the arrests of Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee had links to the multi-crore West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment irregularities scam. They are in judicial custody of the ED. On the other hand, it was the CBI that arrested TMC heavyweight Mondal. It was in connection with the alleged multi-crore cattle smuggling case in West Bengal. Mamata has disowned Partha but has stood by Anubrato.

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Mamata Banerjee expresses gratitude to UNESCO for awarding Cultural Heritage tag to Kolkata’s Durga Puja

Kolkata witnessed an unusual rally. The people of the city usually have to endure rallies of political parties but this was an exception. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee headed it. The purpose was to express gratitude to UNESCO for including Kolkata’s Durga Puja on the intangible cultural heritage representative list. The chief minister had renowned cricketer Sourav Ganguly alongside her on the stage and they greeted the UNESCO representatives who were present on the occasion. The rally included not only Kolkata but also each district of West Bengal. Among the participants were women drummers of South 24 Parganas to religious and cultural groups (Bauls) of Birbhum. The rally originated from Jorasanko Thakur Bari (House of Rabindranath Tagore) in Kolkata and culminated at Red Road ‘Durga Puja is Celebrated by All’: Mamata Thanks UNESCO for Recognising Festival at Kolkata Rally. The chief minister thanked the UNESCO representatives who had come. She said, “….. About Rs 40 crore business takes place during the Durga Puja, and this support from UNESCO will give a big boost to us…..”

Sourav Ganguly also expressed happiness and said Durga Puja is “beyond imagination”. He admitted about traveling to different parts of the world and said he had never seen such festivity anywhere. He thanked UNESCO about giving the festival due recognition. The TMC government also felicitated Professor Tapati Guha Thakurtha for her efforts to put Bengal’s Durga Puja in the UNESCO list.

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It is easy to mint millions in Bengal if one knows the ropes and has the right contacts

KBC, hosted by superstar Amitabh Bachhan, is a very popular TV show. Some of the participants hit the jackpot and win lakhs of rupees, a few even win crores. However, in Bengal, anyone can mint millions provided he knows the ropes and has the right contacts. This is not a fig of one’s imagination but true. It seems a relative of Partha Chatterjee, who worked as a house painter, now owns a number of hotels in tourist spots like Darjeeling, Uttarakhand and Puri apart from Dubai. He also owns multiple land and farmhouses in New Town-Rajarhat area. This individual is Prasanna Kumar Roy, the second middleman in SSC scam case. The CBI has taken him into custody from New Town. His is a rags to riches story and proof that it is easy to mint millions in Bengal if one has the correct contacts. CBI arrests close relative of Partha Chatterjee - once a HOUSE PAINTER, now owner of farm houses, hotels in DUBAI. It was a shock to the state of Bengal when it saw the mountain of money and properties belonging to Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee. Partha is now in jail. He was a minister in the cabinet of chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Another person who is believed to have benefited from contacts in right places is Saigal Hossain, bodyguard of Anubrata Mondal. CBI has already arrested both of them on charges of cattle smuggling. In its chargesheet, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claims that Saigal Hossain received 'illgotten' money on behalf of Anubrata Mondal. The CBI alleged that Hossain earned Rs 26.35 lakhs over a period of seven years from 2015-2022. Investigations revealed the entire amount was deposited in an account maintained by a local bank. CBI arrested Hossain in June. According to the CBI chargesheet, Mondal is the alleged kingpin of the cattle smuggling racket. Enamul Haque was another of his associates. His role was to extend protection and patronage to those who bought the animals at a market in Ilambazar. The modus operandi was to ferry the animals from the market to thr Indo-Bangla border. Cattle smuggling case: Over 26 lakhs earned by Anubrata Mondal’s bodyguard in 7 years, says CBI. Saigal Hossain had purchased innumerable properties during 2015 and 2022 in various places.

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The CBI special court sends TMC leader Anubrata Mondal to jail

The CBI special court sends TMC leader Anubrata Mondal to jail

Another embarrassment for the Trinamool Congress as the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI special court sends TMC Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal to jail. The new address for the heavyweight leader for 14 days is Asansol Correctional Home. Already the Enforcement Directorate ED has sent Partha Chatterjee, another heavyweight leader of Trinamool, to another jail. He was involved in being in possession of unaccounted money. Both the CBI and ED are under the central government. The CBI lawyer wanted judicial custody of Anubrata Mondal and had appealed for rejection of bail. This was because of the serious nature of the case and the possibilities of tampering with the evidence. The individual is an “influential” person and will now be produced before the court on September 7. Cattle smuggling case: TMC leader Anubrata Mondal sent to 14-day judicial custody. The new address for the heavyweight leader for 14 days will be Asansol Correctional Home.

Prior to arriving in court, Anubrata had said that his health was good. Ha also made a mention of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He said she had done "enough" for him. It is posssible, his jail might have an effect on the strategy of the Chief Minister. Incidentally, the special CBI court judge had received a threat letter. It mentioned, “if Mondal is not ‘released’ then he and his family ‘would be framed in the NDPS case’.” When Mondal brought the matter, the judge said – the incident had no bearing on the ongoing proceedings in the case against Mondal.

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Out of more than 20,000 Durga Pujas in West Bengal, some are hundreds of years old

It is difficult to believe that there are more than 20,000 Durga Pujas held in West Bengal. Durga Puja 2022: Big Plans in Bengal after UNESCO Heritage Tag, Covid Lull Out of these, many are hundreds of years old. The celebration of this festival of Bengal is usually on a large scale. Each year, the state government provides donations to the puja organizing clubs and plans to do that this year as well. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a grant of Rs 60,000 for each puja to make it a success. Last two years, it was subdued because of restrictions put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, with ease of protocols, the administration is planning a mega celebration. This is all the more important in view of the Cultural Heritage tag of UNESCO that the celebrations won last year.

The Mondal Bari Puja at Shyamdaspur in Bankura district has been celebrating Durga Puja in their ancestral home here for more than 500 years now. Its origin dates back to much before the city of Kolkata originated. It began as a private family affair and over a period has attracted people from far-off places and become an annual event for devotees and tourists. The joint family has disintegrated into fragments and members have moved to different corners of the country in search of livelihood. They try to return to their ancestral home during the pujas. Some other age-old pujas are given below –

1 Sabarna Roy Chowdhury Aatchala Durga – in 1626
2. Behala Jagat Ram Mukherjee Durga Puja – in 1769
3. Behala Roy Family Durga Puja - in 1756
4. Bhukailash Rajbari - in 1782
5. Sovabazar Raj Bari Durga Puja - in 1757
6. Pathuriaghata Khelat Ghosh Durga Puja - almost 170 years old
7. Purna Chandra Dhar Family Durga Puja - 157 years ago
8. Jhamapukur Chandra Family Durga Puja - in 1761
9. Badan Chandra Roy Family Durga Puja - year 1857
10. Ramgopal Saha Bari Durga Puja – 175 years old
11. Bagbazar Haldar Bari Durga Puja - in the year 1560
12. Shib Krishna Daw Family Durga Puja - in 1840
13. Narasingha Daw Family Durga Puja - in 1859
14. Laha Family Durga Puja - over two centuries old
15. Madan Mohan Dutta family Durga Puja - from 1794 AD
16. Chhatu Babu Latu Babu’s Durga Puja - in 1770
17. Maniktala Saha Family Durga Puja - almost 150 years old
18. Ghose Family Durga Puja of Ghose Lane - in 1856
19. Pataldanga Basu Mallick Family Durga Puja - in 1831
20. Thanthania Dutta Family Durga Puja - in 1855

These are based on Bonedi Bari Durga Puja in Kolkata (Updated in 2020 with Maps)

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CM of Bengal announces 11 days holiday for Bengalis to celebrate Durga Puja 2022 in a big way

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is never at a loss for ideas. In spite of innumerable problems around her, she remains unruffled. She has declared 11 days holiday for the government staff from September 30 to October 10. She has drawn up a schedule and the celebrations will begin from September 1. On this day, there will be a mega rally in Kolkata to thank UNESCO for including Kolkata's Durga Puja on the list of ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’. The rally will start from Jorasanko Thakurbari and end at Rani Rasmoni Avenue. The immersion carnival would be in Kolkata on October 8. It was not observed for two years due to Covid-19 pandemic. Bengal CM Mamata announces Rs 60,000 grant to Durga Puja committees, 11 days holiday. The long stretch of holiday will act as incentive for the people to move out of their homes and visit tourism spots like Digha, Puri or Darjeeling to relieve boredom. It will also boost the Bengal tourism sector.

The Chief Minister also announced that her government would increase the grant to Durga Puja organizing committees in the state from Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. She announced this during a meeting with Durga Puja organizing committee members at the city's Netaji Indoor Stadium. She also mentioned that there would be a 60 per cent discount on power tariff to organizers of Durga Puja. She added that this year's Puja would be special. There would be many visitors from abroad and the organizers must be prepared for this.

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Society is in peril when leaders use unparliamentarily language in public

Bengal is passing through difficult times. Charges of corruption against political leaders is not new but these have been rocking the scenario in Bengal. First, it was Parthha Chatterjeee, a minister who is believed to have minted a fortune. He was an influential leader of the Trinamool Congress and used to be close to a film actress Arpita Banerjee of Tollywood. Both came under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate and are presently in jail. He lost his ministerial berth and many other portfolios. He was a minister but the party did not stand by him. Its suoremo Mamata Banerjee threw him to the wolves. Then the cattle smuggling racket came to the forefront. This time it was the Central Bureau of Invetigation at work. Here, Anubrata Mondal, another heavyweight of the same party was involved. This person loved to use unparliamentarily language in public. Moreover, he enjoyed the blessings of Mamata Banerjee the party supremo. In fact, she came out openly in his support. That changed the equation. As protests over corruption grow in Bengal, more Trinamool leaders began to use threatening language. Emboldened by her open support to Anubrata, another Trinamool leader used unparliamentarily language in public. The worst part is that this leader Saugata Roy was a retired physics professor in a college and well educated. People held him in high esteem. It was strange to hear such an educated person speak in an uncouth language and utter such words.

There have been earlier instances of leaders using filthy language. It hurts society when well-educated and apparently genteel leaders use threatening language. Kalyan Banerjee, a senior counsel of the Calcutta High Court, hurled intimidating abuses from a public rally recently in Hooghly district. He said - “If Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee are maligned, the opposition parties will be beaten up.” Then there was Madan Mitra, another Trinamool Congress legislator who advised his followers to practice stick combats and set up special centers for training. He even promised to supply the sticks.

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Mamata distances herself from Partha, throws her weight behind Anubrata

Politics is a strange game and those who belong to this community enjoy it as long as feasible. In Bengal, it is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who calls the shots. She overthrew the Left Front government and came to power. Gradually, she used her unique tactics to win over the people and make use of every available opportunity to promote her programs. She deserves credit for large-scale diversification, beautification and innumerable innovations. Obviously, she had to rely on local leaders and some of them went in for underhand dealings. Mamata Banerjee, popularly known as Didi (sister) is a multi-faceted personality and a woman who is an artist, a poet and an orator par excellence. She did reprimand the erring grassroots workers m from time to time and had to have a strong man to keep a check on erring workers. Anubrata Mondal was one such individual. Therefore, when the CBI arrested him, Mamata-didi blew her top. Mamata comes out in support of Anubrata. She refused to accept the fact that Anubrata could be involved in cattle smuggling. That gave a boost to his ego.

However, a few days earlier, the ED arrested another of Mamata’s men. He was Partha Chatterjee, a Minister who held several other portfolios. At that time, Mamata-didi did not stand by him. In fact, she removed him from all posts and literally threw him to the wolves. Obviously, Partha felt bad because he had played an important role in promoting the Durga Puja. This helped Bengal bag the prestigious UNESCO Cultural Heritagee award. It was a feather in the cap of Mmata-didi. However, she chose to remain silent and Partha Chatterjee did not get her support. Both arrests were made by agencies of the central government. The Central Bureau of Investigation CBI arrested Anubrata Mondal while the Enforcement Directorate ED arrested Partha Chatterjee. Both agencies have to rely on evidence and intelligence from the local investigation agencies. That is a difficult task. Hence, conviction is usually a dream. It is all a game and everyone has to play his part.

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Politicians are like chameleons

Horse-trading is a term one hears often. It does not relate to horses but to politics and is usually associated with politicians who switch loyalties for any type of gains. These politicians have hardly any ethics and take sides depending on which way the wind blows. As a result, they are able to call the shots and mint money. There are innumerable movies that deal with this theme and the whole world knows about such individuals but have to accept the inevitable. The government has formulated laws to check floor crossing but the world of chameleons keep spreading. An example is of a member of the BJP who moved into the TMC camp and has become a minister within a short time. He is a well-known singer, had once met the TMC supremo and shared jhal-muri with her.Ego Tussle With BJP Leaders, Warm Ties With Mamata: How Babul Supriyo Changed Tunes

Greed has ruined politics. Today it is all about who can call the shots. In view of rampant unemployment, members of political parties at the grass root level keep searching for options to make money. They try to pressurize the locals into shelling out money. Initially these are for minor reasons like celebrating a festival. The organizers are usually those who love to show off their muscle power. Over a period, they form groups and join political parties. In the beginning, it is all hunky dory but when discontent sets in, they change sides. Some of them turn into demons, others fade into oblivion or perish.

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Nothing new in the results of Assembly Elections 2022 – BJP captures four states and AAP gets its Punjab

Yes – the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP won four of the states. These were the all-important Uttar Pradesh with its tourist spots, Uttarakhand which is another travel destination, Goa with its beaches, carnivals and feni and Manipur famous for its dances. Aam Aadmi Party AAP led by the dynamic Arvind Kejriwal seized power in Punjab. It showed that a regional party like AAP could shake an empire. The Indian National Congress appears to be directionless and is gradually losing relevance. It needs infusion of new blood, a leader who can lead by example and who can call the shots.

Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress TMC supremo from Bengal wanted to wage a war by creating a new front of small regional parties. She did send across teams of her loyal followers to Manipur and Goa while she herself went to Uttar Pradesh. She had meetings with the Samajbadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav. However, her efforts went in vain. Political parties should realize that it is not easy for a regional leader to sway the sentiments of the locals. Any state has its unique problems and an outsider cannot change their line of thinking or provide solutions.

Industries just do not gel with West Bengal

Bengalis love poetry and it is difficult to imagine one who loves his pen to take up cudgels of machines – the two just not gel and, as experience has shown, the results are not what one would have liked.
Bengal is basically an agriculture based area where paddy fields swaying in the breeze are what one wants to see.
Therefore, when one wants to change track, one has to go in for some sort of sacrifice. One cannot get something from nothing. Unfortunately, the leaders have forgotten that simple basic.

The conflict surrounding the industrialization on West Bengal hinges on availability of land – the state keeps on talking about a sort of land bank but the investors appear to be a confused lot just like the administrators. There are vague ideas about the land scattered in small pockets and that does not appeal to the investors.
Mamata did not want industries to come up on agricultural land. Her agitation, on behalf of a section of farmers, was a big gain for her and her Trinamool Congress TMC because it led to the fall of the Left Front government and she came to power. She promised to ensure return of land to the unwilling owners but, that was, practically, a pipe dream because Tata Motors had constructed their workshops and the land was unsuitable for agriculture.
Mamata Banerjee’s land policy is now her Achilles’ heel because, when industries are categorically advised to procure land on their own by interacting directly with the landowners, it opens up the doors of corruption. Her land policy has still not changed even after being four years in power and, the net result is disappointment on the industrial front in spite of putting up a brave front.
It has been reported that she has now roped in Sourav Ganguli, the cricketer, to promote industries in her state through a reality show. Reality shows of songs, dance and even laughter do have audiences but, how far it will help the state to improve its image and raise its head is a matter of debate. Yes, Sourav Ganguli does have an enormous fan following and it remains to be seen how far he can influence industrialists to invest in West Bengal. (to be continued …)

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West Bengal’s industry-friendliness at a low

In the latest analysis of industrial friendliness in the country, Gujarat stands at the No 1 position while West Bengal languishes at the 11th position. This, in spite of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s trips to Singapore and London to woo investors apart from holding Bengal Leads events. Needless to say, she did have crowds but not the investments.
It is a fact that the industrial climate in the state had soured up over a period of time because of problems like load shedding and labor unrest and, while the load shedding did come within control, industries, unable to cope up with regular agitation by labor unions, fled from the state. The fingers of accusation were pointed towards the left front which was in power in the state for over three decades. Bandhs were the order of the day and, coupled with the pathetic condition of infrastructure and commination, investors avoided West Bengal.

However, finally, West Bengal decided to make a new start and bring back industries to the state. It was expected that Tata Motors, with its Nano small car project, would be the magic wand to revive industrialization in West Bengal. And – for a project of such a huge magnitude, the important factor was land.
Well – that was also done in Singur and it was felt that the factory, along with ancillary industries, would help the state to recover. Tata Motors had arranged to train the youth so that they could get absorbed in the factory once production started. The locals also were hopeful that the factory would allow them to prosper in their own ways – like small time shopkeepers, tea stalls, and markets.
Their needs were not much but Mamata Banerjee, the firebrand leader, put a spoke in the wheels of change – as a result Nano, like other industries, fled to Gujarat and, today Gujarat has captured the top spot that could have been Bengal’s. (to be continued …)
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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