The Hindu : Today's Paper News : Cold hits a new low in Kolkata

News on cold wave, reports blanket distribution in Burdwan
The Hindu : Today's Paper News : Cold hits a new low in Kolkata

DCC meeting finalised road map to improve priority sector lending in Burdwan

Meeting of District Level Coordination Committee (DCC) of Bankers headed by District Magistrate Burdwan held today at RTC Conference Hall and deliberated in detail to improve CD Ratio of the district in a time bound action plan.

 

Main decisions agreed are :-

• KCC, Artisan Credit Cards, Hand loom Credit Cards, Fisher men's Credit Cards - Govt departments like Agriculture, GM DIC, Asst Director of Fisheries and Hand loom Development Officers shall furnish list of eligible farmers/ artisans/ fishermen/ weavers to Bank Branches as per the field verification and Identity cards issued by the Govt departments by 31st January 2013. Banks shall do the verification and documentation of the applications and sanction credit cards by 28th February 2013 and disburse the credit by March 2013. Officers of these departments and banks shall endeavour to reach eligible persons and assist them in filling up the applications.
• SHGs grading, credit linkage and project linkage - Govt departments dealing with SHGs shall prepare list of SHGs branch wise not having credit linkages/ bank linkages and submit to banks for credit linkages by 15th January 2013. Similarly, list of SHGs pending for Grade I (six months old and above), Grade II (One year and old with grade I) and eligible for project linkages/ sanction of project for economic activity shall be furnished to the bank branches. Banks shall allow CC accounts with eligible limit, grading as applicable and sanction of projects of SHGs by 31st January onwards. All SHGs should be allowed grading against self appraisal reports if no feedback of banks is received in time.
• All projects for economic activity by SHGs, BSKP, PMEGP etc shall be sanctioned and subsidy claimed by banks in February 2013. Govt assures adequate interest subsidy, capital subsidy and credit subsidy to banks as front end by end of February 2013.
• Credit investment subsidy against farm mechanisation and minor irrigation shall be made available to banks as soon as claimed.
• Bank accounts to all households in the district shall be opened by the banks in their service area by 31st March 2013 to ensure zero balance accounts to all families for electronic benefits transfers in future. NPR database in CD is being provided to banks centrally by finance department of Govt. of West Bengal. BDOs shall provide necessary administrative support to organise camps for ZERO BALANCE accounts to be organised by Banks.
• To coordinate the time bound action plan implementation at block level, committee headed by BDOs shall hold Block Level Bankers Committee (BLBC) meetings from 9th to 16th January 2013 where field officers of all departments, bank managers and civil administration shall attend.
• Weekly monitoring meeting to be held by ADM Development with LDM and NBARAD to review the progress.

Lets hope CD ratio is improved by at least two points from present 31, which is one of the lowest in the state.

Similar exercise last year yielded good results.

Credit Investment Subsidy to KCC holders in Burdwan - farmer friendly transparent process

Kisan Credit Card is one of the most popular credit facility to farmers in West Bengal now, thanks to proactive role of State in popularising KCC and new simplified approach to issue the KCC.

• This year Banks and Cooperatives issued 214540 KCC in Burdwan district till November 2012 that includes 31000 fresh & new farmers. Rs 437 crores disbursed as credit to farmers through KCC during Kharif and it is likely to be doubled during Rabi/ Boro.
• Recently State Agriculture department has issued guidelines for Credit Investment Subsidy to KCC farmers as incentive to promote minor irrigation support and farm mechanisation. Under the scheme, one time electrification cost of Rs 8000 per farmer for Electric Pump set up to 5 HP is reimbursed to WBSEDCL directly by District Agriculture Officers (DDA). The beneficiary farmer must be KCC holder, having agriculture land and must produce copy of quotation against service connection charges from local Group Supply Office of WBSEDCL to get the subsidy in his favour directly to the WBSEDCL accounts.
• Regional Manager of WBSEDCL and DDA has been advised to ensure that all eligible and willing farmers are issued quotations immediately.
• Similarly, those willing to purchase new Pump sets may get Subsidy of Rs 10000 maximum up to 5 HP machine against KCC loan.
• Investment Subsidy is also available for power tiller/ tractor up to Rs 45000, Zero Tillage machine up to Rs 15000, Reaper up to Rs 15000 and Pump set up to Rs 10000 per farmer. In all these cases the Subsidy to be released to the Banks against the loan disbursement for these purposes using KCC/ Direct Agriculture loan. So there is no chance of leakages.
• In Burdwan, 2700 is the target for One Time Electric Connection Scheme with fund allocation of Rs 216 Lakhs and Rs 824 lakhs has been allocated for farm mechanisation/ pump sets which may cover further 7000 farmers this year.
• Details of these initiatives have been provided to all Block/ GP offices through ADAs.
• District authority has launched special mission approach for universalising of KCC from January to March 2013 activating the field functionaries and BLBCs at block level.

80 Shelter less persons provided Blankets on the streets of Durgapur by SDO Durgapur last night

As part of relief measures to shelter less and needy persons in view of extreme cold wave in the district, blanket distribution has been done throughout Burdwan district and will continue.

• Last night  team comprised of SDO Durgapur Ayesha Rani Rehman, Dy Magistrate Mr Deepanjan Mukherjee and SDDMO Mr.Ramashish Prasad visited Durgapur Railway station, Prantika Bus stand, Bidhannagar, Kalimandir and Durga Mandir at Bhiringi and distributed blankets to homeless and beggars found at these places. Around 80 blankets distributed during this late night visit by the Team of administration.
• So far, we distributed 3600 blankets in the district covering shelter less, beggars and old aged persons with nobody to care.

Some Photos from Durgapur

 

Good work TEAM BURDWAN.

Mobile fish vending van

Beautifully designed Van with two fish containers and one large ice box to preserve fresh fish. There is battery operated public announcement system and electronic weighing machine. It's mobile fish vending provided under RKVY funds by fisheries department.

Cold wave warning in Bardhaman and adjoining Pashimanchal areas till 28th Dec 2012 noon

As per report received from Meteorological Centre Kolkata this evening, Cold Wave conditions may prevail at isolated pockets of Bardhaman... Western Districts till Noon of Friday the 28th December 2012.

Please take all precautionary measures. Relief measures as per need may be taken up. Additional stock of blankets has been released to all blocks/ Sub divisions today.

Teams of administration visited all round the cities and towns and provided warm blankets to shelter less/ poor needy in Burdwan

In view of cold wave, with temperature as low as 7.5 degree C, teams from administration visited different Railway stations,  Major Bus stands,  City streets of Asansol, Burdwan and Durgapur and other Sub division towns, hospitals and public shelter places throughout Burdwan districts including rural areas and distributed blankets to the needy persons on the spot.

• These poor and old aged persons are really very happy to get the timely support.
• Today 1000 more blankets were distributed in Burdwan district making cumulative number 3500. Further 5000 blankets have been released to all blocks and sub divisions for stock in need.
• Today, Sdo Kalna, Sdo Durgapur and Asansol personally visited and handed over blankets.
• Hospital authorities have been advised to augment baby warmers in neonatal and children wards and delivery rooms. There is weather warning of prevailing cold waves for few more days. All precautionary measures should be taken.

RTC Asansol inaugurated today for training of Govt employees of Asansol Durgapur areas

RTC has started functioning today at Asansol with estimated cost investment of Rs 12 lakhs.

• This Regional Training Centre has been provided with 10 computers, LCD projector,  Laptop and other training equipments by District Administration.
• Computer training of 25 employees of Land and Land reforms department commenced today. 
• Now, employees of Industrial areas need not go to Burdwan for their training.  All trainings on IT, Office Management and skill development for Govt employees can be imparted here free of cost. 
• Budget of Rs 3 lakhs training cost has been sanctioned for next three months.

 

2500 Blankets distributed among poor, old aged and needy persons in view of cold

In view of prevailing cold wave, district administration today arranged distribution of blankets to poor, shelter less and old aged persons at each block and Subdivision HQ. 2500 blankets were released for distribution today. 56 blankets distributed from the inaugural Mancha of 25th Burdwan Boi Mela. Similar programmes were organised throughout district. We intend to provide blankets to all needy persons, like those who stay at Railway Stations, Bus Stands and on streets.

Pictures from Khandghosh Block

 

 

Seoli flowers in Kobla beel in Purbasthali 1 block.. spread over 165 bighas of water area this beel is the best community managed ecosystem