Special Bankers Committee meeting on 7th August to augment Kisan Credit Cards, Account opening for Paddy purchase at MSP in Burdwan

Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) drive last year yielded good results in Burdwan district. 70931 New KCC and 2.55 lakhs renewals conducted with credit involvement of Rs 711.28 crores in 2011-12 financial year. This year 8500 new cards were issued till 30th June and further 1.11 lakhs renewal conducted.

In order to boost the drive, we have called all the senior bank officers on 7th August 2012 for DCC meeting. Banks will be asked to organise branch wise credit and KCC distribution camps in August to September 2012 to achieve target of one lakh new KCC.

• Some farmers still don't have bank account and might have faced problems in paddy sale last year. Special camps at Sub division/ blocks will be organised by Banks and Food Officials to provide on the spot account opening with zero balance. This will continue for one month and to be completed fully before next Paddy purchase season.
• Paddy transplantation in the district has geared up now after release of water from DVC and good rainfall last week. We also had reviewed the status of minor irrigation units and arranged to replace defunct transformers to increase irrigation coverage. At present transplantation is more than 60 percent, which is only 5 percent short compared to same time last year. Since, the transplantation will continue till 20th August 2012, it is expected that Paddy target of 4.3 lakhs hectares will be reached in this district.
• Performance of 59 demonstration centres covering 15000 hectares under Green Revolution for Eastern India is very good.

Weekly monitoring of Paddy trasnplantation, fertilizer availability and price control and functioning of irrigation installations is being done by the district authority.

Burdwan Medical College & Hopsital - SNCU, OPD and Surgery facilities to be opertaionalised soon

Sick and Neonatal Care Unit (SNCU) civil and electrical works already completed and ready to start the facility two months ago. PWD completed the work in record one year time. Similarly, works of extension of OPD building to accommodate surgery wards and OTs, Paediatric wards in Cardiology building has also been completed and handed over by PWD. I had a meeting with Principal of Burdwan Medical College, Supdt of the Hospital and PWD authorities on 3rd July 2012 at 3 pm to fix the target dates for making the newly built facilities functional.

• It is agreed that the work of Oxygen installation in SNCU to be completed by 15th September 2012 latest by the College authorities without any further dealy and necessary clearances to be obtained in a week.
• Meanwhile, Paediatric department will indicate the requirement for site preparations, if any, for shifting the facility to Cardiology building and complete the shifting by 15th September 2012, starting from next week positively.
• PWD will take up the renovation of vacated space in OPD building now occupied by Paediatric department immediately thereafter and complete the works within 31st January 2013.
• Surgery department should be shifted to newly built facility at the top floor of OPD by end of September 2012 and full operations in OTs to commence by end of October.
• Meanwhile, nursery to be temporarily be shifted to top floor of OPD so as to enable renovation of OPD building after the Paediatric ward is shifted to Cardiology.

In brief, SNCU, Surgery ward, Paediatric department must be shifted to the earmarked places and operationalised by the end of October positively. After completion of renovation works by the end of January 2012, Gynaecology department may be shifted to the space vacated byPaediatric department.

Hope, the time bound plan of functioning of these new facilities will be adhered to by all the agencies. Monthly review of progress to be done.

Narrow bridges and culverts on Damodar Valley Corporation canal/ roads to be replaced in phases

DVC system of irrigation canals is the lifeline of Burdwan district, the granary or also known as rice bowl. There are more than hundred bridges and culverts over the canals came up in last 50 years. Most of the roads and structures are built with load bearing capacity of 8 to 10 MT . PWD widened the roads over the years but most of the narrow bridges were not replaced by them as these are under Irrigation department, that does not has the financial budget provisions and technical capability to maintain these structures and invest monehere rrumre large number of mining activity like sand, morrum and stones carried over these bridges, mostly more than10MT causing damages. In some places like Bhatar, Bhedia, Adahati, Galsi etc the condition is pathetic and very bad. The issue was discussed in the review meeting own 28th July and it's matter of  satisfaction that State Govt agreed to provide funds to PWD department for immediate replacement of all critical and damaged, narrow bridges over DVC canals in Burdwan district. Had a meeting with Engineering departments and finalized the bridges to be taken up on priority. Dpr to be prepared in next three months and thereafter funds to be sanctioned. Let's hope most critical bridges at Bhedia, Bhatar, Galsi, ausgram and Jamalpur are taken up with the special fund allocation from the govt.