There was a thread on this topic before, but I think it got changed to another one or got deleted. I felt the need of this thread for sharing current news items related to Kolkata.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=pastissues2&BaseHref=TOIKM%2F2011%2F12%2F24&ViewMode=GIF&PageLabel=5&EntityId=Ar00502&AppName=2Adventure sports hub on city outskirts soon
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Kolkata: Drive over extreme surfaces in all-terrain vehicles, enjoy a bird’s eye view of the City of Joy from a helicopter, take a hot air balloon ride over the marshy expanse known as the East Kolkata Wetlands, experience a slice of rural Bengal. You can do all this and more if the plan to set up an adventure destination close to Kolkata materializes.
OSL Goyal’s, a city-based business group, has chalked out a blueprint for a recreational park off Basanti highway in the eastern fringes of Kolkata. “Around 15 km from Science City, we have purchased plots of land aggregating 50 acre. Once the registration process is over by March-April, we will begin work on the Rs 70-80 crore project,” said OSL Goyal’s director Nirmal Kumar Goyal. The 18-month project is slated to be completed sometime in early 2014.
Follow UpPrime Focus has announced the launch of a revolutionary new service for the media and entertainment industry in the eastern region of India – the opening of a Broadcast Hub in Kolkata. At the heart of this new offering is CLEAR™, the hybrid-cloud based, unified multi-platform content operations infrastructure developed by Prime Focus Technologies (PFT), which utilizes the latest in cloud technology to securely manage content, workflows, media processing, storage and delivery. CLEAR™ technology is already changing the way major broadcasters such as STAR TV handle content and manage the broadcast eco-system.
The Kolkata Broadcast Hub will provide the region with a Digital Media Supply Chain – a file-based service which connects content developers, broadcasters and content transmission centers, and offers many benefits over the traditional method of using tape to deliver content, including reduced operational costs, ‘time-to-air’ reductions, and previously untapped opportunities to monetize content by making it available to new audiences across multiple platforms.
Expanding on PFT’s existing ingest centres in Mumbai, which offer clients local access points to the Digital Media Supply Chain, the new Kolkata Broadcast Hub adds a state-of-the-art Content Operations facility to provide industry-leading production, post-production, visual effects, distribution, archiving and delivery services to the local advertising, film and broadcast industries.
The advantages are clear. Content providers can dedicate their resources to making programming and advertising as creative and compelling as possible, without having to worry about technical delivery specifications; and broadcasters have access to a larger pool of content from more diverse locations and suppliers, and because they receive a broadcast-ready digital file, no longer have to handle tapes or run in-house content services departments to prepare the content for air. This can represent substantial savings in terms of time and cost for all members of the Digital Media Supply Chain.
“We are delighted to be bringing our Cloud based cutting-edge production, post and content services to Kolkata,” said Ramki Sankaranarayanan, President and CEO of PFT and CEO of Prime Focus India. “Not only does this offer local content providers access to the tools and talent to finish their work to the highest standard, and then deliver it for broadcast efficiently and correctly; it will also dramatically change the way broadcasters in the area operate, offering more choice and diversification of content whilst removing costly, labour-intensive processes. This is a ‘first-of-its-kind’ for the vibrant city of Kolkata, and the eastern region in general, and we’re genuinely excited by the possibilities which lie ahead.”
Excerpts from FICCI statementThe Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, a leading chamber, has requested the government of West Bengal to release AMRI’s seven directors who were arrested after the December 9 fire disaster.
The chamber has argued its case both on grounds of fair play and preempting the rise of negative sentiment among investors.
All the seven directors arrested by the police have pleaded they were not involved in the day-to-day running of the hospital. For this reason, suggestions were circulating in the city’s investor community that the administration could have treated the directors with more sympathy. The Ficci statement on Monday is the first instance of an organisation coming forward with a formal statement.
FICCI desires to work closely with the Government of West Bengal to promote investment and accelerate economic activity across all sectors of the economy.
A judicious, non-discriminatory and objective handling of the AMRI case will go a long way in restoring the investors’ confidence and allow FICCI to play its due role in West Bengal.
these are good ideas and things-to-do. however, her ministers should be able to come up with solutions. without an able set of administrators running the government, it can be very difficult for her if she wants to do everything herself.CM in firefighting mode
- Six new fire stations, better coordination between agencies
OUR BUREAU
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Kolkata: Confident about the success of the upcoming Bengal Leads 2012,state commerce and industry and IT minister Partha Chatterjee on Tuesday said at least 120 companies have agreed to participate in the exhibition-cum-business summit beginning on January 9.He also confirmed the participation of Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz in one of the panel discussions during the summit.
Till date,we have confirmation from 120 companies of which 34 are very big.Around 12 government departments will also participate, Chatterjee told reporters at a press meet.Bengal Leads 2012 (January 9- January 14) is the first-of-its-kind summit organized by the state government to attract more investment to the state.
The minister further added that the state will look forward to increased investment in sectors like automobile and engineering.Investment figures for each project in these sectors usually exceed Rs 1,000 crore.
According to the minister,General Motors director (advanced technology vehicle concepts) Christopher Borrini-Bird,Godrej Group chairman Adi Godrej,SK Birla who chairs the SK Birla Group,ITC chairman YC Deveshwar,Punk Lloyd chairman Atul Punj,TVS Motors chairman Venu Srinivasan,JSW vice-chairman Sajjan Jindal,Eicher Motors chairman Mallika Srinivasan,TCG chairman Purnendu Chatterjee and Universal Success chairman Prasoon Mukherjee will participate in the summit.
Chatterjee added that a 35-member industry delegation from Singapore will visit the state on January 27.Delegates from Mitsubishi will be there as well.They will visit Haldia.
Countering former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjees barb that the Trinamool Congress government has failed to attract fresh investment to the state so far,Chatterjee said,In the last six months,we have got 84 investment proposals amounting to Rs 65,409 crore in the commerce and industry department while the IT department has received investment proposals to the tune of Rs 1,410 crore,barring proposals by Infosys,Cognizant and Wipro. The IT investment would generate 1.25 lakh direct jobs and an equal number of indirect ones.
Criticizing his predecessor Nirupam Sen and Bhattacharjee,he added,They have lost their mental balance.Nothing was done by the erstwhile Left Front government.We did everything.
According to Chatterjee,after the Trinamool Congress-led government took over in May,it handed over land in Panagarh to the Matix Group on June 27 and to Tractors India in Kharagpur on August 25.Accusing the erstwhile government of not taking the state on the path of industrialization,he said he is ready for a debate with Sen and Bhattacharjee on this issue.
Talking about the state governments land policy,he iterated that none of the companies who have taken land should keep it idle.If any company is willing to invest,we will extend all help to them.
The state government's tough stance against the directors of the AMRI Hospitals has sent ripples of panic across investors and industrialists in the state and triggered a resignation spree in the boards of some of the city's top health care institutions.
In private circles, industrialists have spoken about how the treatment of the AMRI directors not involved in daily operations has created a sense of panic.
Sources said at least 10 directors and trustee members in the state's private and trustee-run hospitals have put in their papers to "minimize the risk of harassment" in the event of an accident.
Anandlok Hospital director Arun Poddar has resigned during the last fortnight, sources said H P Kanoria has quit the trustee board of Vishuddhananda Saraswati Marwari Hospital Sadhuram Bansal and C L Agarwal, V-Ps of Marwari Relief Society, have resigned from the board At least five more city private hospitals are faced with such resignations.
West Bengal needs investment and industrialization. It is time the TMC leadership started rectifying this perception that they are anti industry and anti business. The commie/socialist policies have not worked earlier. Why is the TMC still clinging to failed policies? First thing it needs to do is add clauses to the proposed land acquistion bill stating the government will intervene to give a fair deal to both sides if farmers and industrialists together approach the government. That way they can keep their vote banks happy as well as the investors happy. Of course the CPM will make an issue if TMC tries to acquire land. But this govt still has 4.5 years to rule. Unless of course the TMC wants to rule for a historic 34 years.The head of a business group says “a lot of people are paying lip service” to the idea that things are changing, but they continue to invest outside the state. An entrepreneur who runs a chain of schools is even more pessimistic. The new government is dangerously populist, with “no ideology, no vision.”
That is unfair, but if the government cannot convince local businesspeople, it has little hope of wooing capital from elsewhere, especially when other states, led by Gujarat, have well-oiled machines for attracting money and talent. The hope is that the new government will soon find its feet and turn its attention to reintegrating Kolkata into a global economy that it was once, long ago, at the heart of. Ms Banerjee may be in power for some time, so she has the potential to develop the kind of long-term strategy that is needed for success. The fear is that inaction combined with her popularity in the countryside will condemn the city to yet another decade as India’s capital of stagnation.
I guess time has come for govt. to take the first step to at least explore an amicable solution...if they can personally go to BBs house and woke him up in his undies i don't know why they can't knock tatas door...Ratan Tata had said the exact same thing last year when asked the same question by the media. But he has not defined what exactly is the amicable reception.
well lots of things are up in the air...they first started with 50 acres now suddenly more than 250 acres with bogus farmers... i am saying this reports may be correct but let see where it ends up..singur is more becoming godhra where lot of fantasy stories were spread,some true some false...best thing would be to settle down this issue and first step should now come from govt. as things have gone too far now..On the other hand Didi rani has stuck to her broken record of 600 acres while reports from some newspapers suggest that some folks are going all out to the point of alleged forgery to usurp the much touted 400 acres for farmers.
livemint is publishing this 4 months old news now in december and hyping this with Tata...all the allotments done on 28th feb 1 day before the vote announcement thru chairman quota were canceled long back in august...from a long list, one of the beneficiary seems to be Tata...now govt. has demolished that chairman quota and going for an auction to get maximum price with a base reserved price...this is supposed to get the maximum amount of money...earlier auction didn't fetch expected result as the land was on lease,so now they are giving full ownership...i don't see any issue with this..Another newspaper has reported that the extra two acres land allocated to Tata Hospital has been taken away on ground of "ethics" (it is not illegal but unetical as per TMC mandarins).
I didn't know of any fights with Jindals and Birlas...may be i missed...... on the contrary Jindals issue is more or less resolved now pending iron ore issue...for birla if you are referring HM asset then its again matter of investigation if you are actually correct on the numbers that you published..otherwise its clear case of forgery of crores to govt and for Ruia i don't have any info about who is wrong/rightThe TMC top brass has unwittingly ended up picking fights with or giving lectures to various industrialists like the Ruias, Jindals, Birlas etc.
this is pure ghola jole mach dhorar swavab by some section of people...and coming out on TOIlet paper is the cherry on top... but definitely I want all the culprits to be punished whoever they are...and persons who are not responsible should be released whoever they are..after consuming the process of law..The AMRI tragedy has given a new twist with Mamata's speech intended for the masses ending up with many Marwaris (many of whom are businessmen and industrialists] to think that they have been called terrorists [see Mamata's reaction video in Star Ananda]. Some have told a leading India newspaper that they will move their investments to Gujurat as they are feeling unwelcome.
I absolutely agree with you....i hate commies like anything(for them their stupid ism is supreme to nation...recent example is, look for facebook profiles of leaders..flooded with praise for Kim Jong il who is one of the biggest leader in the anti India block.... my hate for them is not case by case...nation is first and it supersedes everything ) so any party tries to be like them is not an exception for me...on the fair side i will give current govt. time to rectify their mistakes...already they tweaked mao policy and got unprecedented result so far...I guess your suggestion of interference if both parties agree, is an excellent one and should be explored if someone from govt. is reading this blog...and I don't want them to rule for 34 yrs by not doing anything...but for me there is more sand left on the stand to flow out...West Bengal needs investment and industrialization. It is time the TMC leadership started rectifying this perception that they are anti industry and anti business. The commie/socialist policies have not worked earlier. Why is the TMC still clinging to failed policies? First thing it needs to do is add clauses to the proposed land acquistion bill stating the government will intervene to give a fair deal to both sides if farmers and industrialists together approach the government. That way they can keep their vote banks happy as well as the investors happy. Of course the CPM will make an issue if TMC tries to acquire land. But this govt still has 4.5 years to rule. Unless of course the TMC wants to rule for a historic 34 years.
nice one :lol: ... amra asole ektu judhdho judhdho khelte bhalobasi :cheers: ... my problem is with ism itself as it stands between their world view and our national interest...only ray of hope is that the current one is just in power and being in govt. changes lot of things...at the end of their term may be we can judge..If you take out the 'ism' part I do not see any difference between CPM & TMC. Take any policy matters and more or less have the same net stance which unfortunately does not augur well for the development of the state (compare the policy stand of CPM in UPA I and TMC in UPA II). How can you come out of this 'abyss and hard rock' scenario?