Week long camp to open zero balance bank accounts at all Sub divisional HQ from 10th to 16th September - State function at Kalna

Paddy procurement procedures have been modified by the State Govt for greater transparency and effective implementation of Minimum Support Price to farmers.

The major additions to the policy, Inter Alia are payment of price by rice millers and CMR agencies through account payee cheque only to the genuine farmers at rates not below MSP,

2. Levy rice to be procured from rice millers after verifying the claim that paddy has been purchased from genuine farmers at the rates not below MSP to stop influx of outside state/ region paddy purchased at lower prices and

3. Quick payments through legal sources on supply of paddy immediately and paddy procurement camps at Sub block level facilitated by local administration.

 

In order to extend benefits of good policy decisions of the Govt, it is felt that all the farmers without any bank account in their name should have bank account for transactions of the paddy sale and better management of camps with coordinating efforts of local bodies, cooperatives and administration. State Govt has decided to open week long awareness camp cum help counters at Court compounds of all Sub divisions from 10th September 2012 to 16th September 2012 in all the districts of West Bengal. In these camps at Burdwan Court More, Kalna RMC, Katwa SDO Office, Durgapur SDO Office and Asansol SDO office will remain open from 10 am to 5 pm daily.

 

There will be counters of major banks, Food & Civil Supplies, Agriculture department and administration from where leaflets on paddy procurement, blank forms and guidelines to open zero balance accounts by banks, blank applications for KCC and general counselling on paddy procurement and bank account opening to be given to farmers visiting the camps. It is expected that all the farmers attending these camps will get the opportunity to open zero balance account in a week after application to banks as agreed by Bankers in the last District Level meeting. KCC applications to all needy farmers can also be collected through these camps.

 

Later, such facilities will be extended up to Branch and block level to cover all the left out farmers. Hope with these efforts, more and more farmers can get real benefits of initiatives of the State.

Burdwan generated 159 lakhs man days spending Rs 277 crores in MGNREGA till 31st August, highest by any district in India

Burdwan district continues better performance under MGNREGA, the flagship programme in the consecutive years. The reports compiled as on 31st August 2012 for the financial year 2012-13 shows that GPs and other agencies generated 159 lakhs man days incurring expenditure of Rs 277 crores, employing 5.75 lakhs families in rural areas. Burdwan is at number one position in highest expenditure by any district in the current year and ranks within five top districts of the country in generation of employment under MGNREGA.

 

 Labour Budget of the district till 31st August 2012 was 72 lakhs man days and Rs 162 crores expenditure, but intensive field level interaction by Programme Officers & BDOs under the leadership of SDOs followed by Sub divisional level review with all GPs and staff by DM & DPC Burdwan the performance was more than expected. We have submitted revised Labour Budget of 240 lakhs man days for approval by Ministry of Rural Development, GOI.

Bhatar Block has performed the best among all the blocks generating 19 lakhs man days and Rs 31.72 crores expenditure followed by Mangalkote with 16.53 lakhs man days and Rs 30.67 crores expenditure. These blocks has already exhausted their labour budget.

A booklet in Bengali regarding achievement of the district will be released to Press and Public on 7th September 2012 at noon at a Press Conference by DM & DPC at VC Room of DM Burdwan.  

Legal Aid Clinic opened at Khetia GP and Mahachanda GP today

Legal Aid Clinic at Khetia GP of Burdwan1 block and Mahachanda GP of Bhatar block inaugurated today by Ld District and Sessions Judge Burdwan Mr P K Adhikary in august presence of Ld CJM and public representatives. One Para legal practitioner will be engaged by District Legal Services Authority headed by Ld DJ for each GP area to extend all free legal consultancy and aid to get legitimate benefits from public authorities and to get free legal aid services of lawyer to contest cases. There are plans to engage one such person in 277 GPs of Burdwan district shortly.

These clinic can be very helpful to generally minimise legal poverty, resolve issues related to social benefits to poor, pre litigation bargaining, facilitate lok adalats and compoundable of petty offences.