West Bengal - Economy and Project Developments

[anan355]

ABP group is not going to write about these things:

The state micro and small-scale industries department recently ordered a probe to gauge the financial loss from providing subsidies to weavers’ cooperatives. The loss may measure up to Rs 100 crore and the state government is suspecting a scam in this regard.

Swapan Debnath, minister of state for micro and small-scale industries, stated that some handloom owners are getting subsidies from the government and showing huge production, but in reality, those looms had stopped production a long time ago. The department suspects that dishonest owners are producing fake documents of sales marketed through Tantuja -- a state government agency to sell Bengal handloom products to the government.

Tantuja was set up in the early 1970s to market Bengal handloom across the nation. There are 102 Tantuja showrooms across the country. “We are suspecting a scam here. I have instructed senior officers of my department to probe the matter. I have also informed chief minister Mamata Banerjee regarding our findings,” said Debnath, who is also Tantuja chairman. There are over 60 lakh handlooms in the state among which three lakh are not working. “How does a handloom owner, who has already stopped production, get subsidy from the government and how can they show sale documents if the production unit is shut?” Debnath demanded to know.

However, Tantuja’s yearly sales have increased by 20 per cent nationwide, the chairman said. He also said that some handlooms which have been shut for a long period would soon be reopened. “We will open four handlooms. Out of these, two each would be in Nadia and Burdwan. With this move, we wish to create employment and at least 3,200 people would have new job opportunities here,” Debnath said.

Bengal Post

[anan355]

Bartaman:23rd Jan, 2013

25 human skeletons have been discovered only from 1 district ( West Midnapore). Former minister Mr. Susanta Ghosh was an accused in 1 such skeleton case.

This can give an indication of the amount of torture and murder that used to happen in rural bengal during LF timeframe.

[Suncity]

How is the discovery of skeletons concerned with Economy and Project development. Shouldn't it be in the adda section?

Plus let us not even talk about rubbish newspapers like Bartaman (one of Bengal's biigest leaders in manufacturing false news) and Bengal Post. They are as trash as Ganashakti or Telegraph.

[anan355]

Originally Posted by Suncity

How is the discovery of skeletons concerned with Economy and Project development. Shouldn't it be in the adda section?

Very true. This should be in ADDA section. My mistake.

Originally Posted by Suncity

Plus let us not even talk about rubbish newspapers like Bartaman (one of Bengal's biigest leaders in manufacturing false news) and Bengal Post. They are as trash as Ganashakti or Telegraph.

Now....if you leave aside ABP / Telegraph and Bengal Post /Bartaman, then other than TOI and ET what is left?
Bengal newspapers have become so polarised that to get a clear picture , you need to read all of them.

ABP / Telegraph will never post any positive feedback about present govt.
Bartaman is traditionally anti-govt but at least is somewhat neutral about bringing out misdeeds of both TMC and CPM and occasionally they post positive news as well....
Bengal Post has a pro-didi leaning.
However it is not a mouthpiece like Ganashakti / Jago Bangla.
However ABP may soon replace Ganashakti.

[Rajarshi77]

The communists are the biggest curse for the state of Bengal. They have brought poverty and corruption and also produced flawed leaders like MB who thinks that to remain in power you need to resort to cheap populism. They have also polarised the population so much the people can't think beyond left and anti left.

[DFan]

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bi...l-soon/1063446


But for a housing project for the people evicted by Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) for its mining project...

[Rajarshi77]

The industry meet at Mumbai has been postponed indefinitely. The government wants to avoid repeating the mistake of Haldia meet and wants to prepare first and then hold such a meet. Also the government wants to finalise the industry policy prior to holding the meet.

[NiladriG]

Originally Posted by Rajarshi77

The industry meet at Mumbai has been postponed indefinitely. The government wants to avoid repeating the mistake of Haldia meet and wants to prepare first and then hold such a meet. Also the government wants to finalise the industry policy prior to holding the meet.

Why couldn't they formulate the policy before Haldia meet? They thought industrialists would be running behind them. They hardly achieved anything and wasted a whole lot of money. Which industrialist is going to come when the show is organised by people like Shubhendu Adhikari, who are trying to be new mastaan of Haldia after Lakshman Seth.

[Rajarshi77]

Originally Posted by NiladriG

Why couldn't they formulate the policy before Haldia meet? They thought industrialists would be running behind them. They hardly achieved anything and wasted a whole lot of money. Which industrialist is going to come when the show is organised by people like Shubhendu Adhikari, who are trying to be new mastaan of Haldia after Lakshman Seth.

I think they just though the mere presence of industrialists will make it successful. They missed the point that it has to yield investment proposal for the state. This time it is Mumbai and the CM would have lost her face in national media if the meeting flopped. It is a wise decision. Unless we have something new to say it doesn't mean to organise such meets.

[Rajarshi77]

The chief minister has dropped stringent clauses on land use and rehabilitation in the revised draft agreement with Sajjan Jindals JSW Steel and Power to ensure Bengal doesnt lose its largest private project and also send a message to India Inc that she is prepared to walk the talk on creating a conducive industrial climate.

We have cleared all the hurdles on our part, state commerce and industries minister Partha Chatterjee said.I spoke to Sajjan Jindal recently.He told me he was satisfied with the governments gesture.He also said JSW officials will sign the supplementary agreement soon.We are expecting the inking of the agreement in a couple of days.

JSWs Rs 35,000-crore project in West Midnapore Salboni has been held up because of the introduction of stringent clauses after the new government came to power. The group is planning to invest Rs 20,000 crore in the first phase,including a three-million-tonne steel plant,a 300 MW power plant,a cement plant and a township.

CM has also allayed fears among JSW officials that the government will put pressure on the company if the project is derailed due to unforeseen circumstances,like in case of the Nano.She has inserted a clause that excuses the investor for not fulfilling contractual obligations for reasons beyond control.The clause is similar to the one the Tatas had cited while shifting out of Singur in 2008.

CLAUSES WAIVED

WBIDC clauses now removed
1 Govt can take back the land, factory along with other immovable property in case the project fails at any stage of construction or production

2 Govt can take back the land if the land is left unutilized for more than 3 years

3 Company has to accommodate changing demands of rehabilitation

In dropping the provisions,the chief minister had to prevail over the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC),which had prescribed the stiff clauses in tune with the new governments policy.

The WBIDC proposals gave the government the power to claim,without encumbrances,the land along with the factory and other unmovable property in case the unit closed down.The WBIDC also proposed a clause allowing the government to take back the land in case the industry did not come up in three years.There was another clause on compulsory amendment of the rehabilitation package every time there was a change in the states policy. For instance,the current rehabilitation policy may entail a job for a projectaffected family. The policy,if changed to two jobs per family,say,after five years,would have to be accommodated by the investor.All these were major deterrent to banks or financial institutions from lending a hand to the project.

The company is likely to be given a years time from the date of signing of the revised agreement to start construction.

JSW has already invested Rs 800 crore in coal mines and townships and has no way of abandoning the project. Unlike most other industrial projects hobbled by landholders resistance,JSW managed to secure the 4,334-acre plot for its factory. It even managed to procure a part of it,483 acres,on its own without facing any protests.The state government relaxed the land ceiling after vetting the project.
In 2007,the steelmaker signed an agreement with the Left regime for a 10-milliontonne steel plant and a 1,620-MW power plant. After the change of regime in the state,the Trinamool Congress government insisted on a supplementary agreement after including some unattainable clauses which the government claimed was necessary to reflect a situation that was different from six years ago when the project wconceived.

[AbhishekDatta]

can you also post the link

[Rajarshi77]

Originally Posted by AbhishekDatta

can you also post the link

Here it is

http://mobiletoi.timesofindia.com/mo...2&publabel=TOI

[Rajarshi77]

Essar to pay up, road siege lifted
Suman Chakraborti & Debajyoti Chakraborty,TNN | Jan 30, 2013, 06.46AM IST

JATGERIA/KOLKATA: Essar Oil on Tuesday agreed to settle the dispute over compensation to Jatgeria landlosers even as the administration responded on a war footing soon after TOI's report on the land trouble hit news stands. The firm has said it will buy all the patta and rayawti land from land-losers within a month.

On Monday, 10 officials of the company were held hostage by a mob in Jatgeria village, dealing yet another blow to the state's image. The agitation threatened to hold up investment worth Rs 6,500 crore, spurring an all-out effort to find a solution. On Tuesday, Essar officials met the chief secretary, home secretary and commerce and industries minister Partha Chatterjee at Writers' Buildings. Almost immediately, the Burdwan district administration sprung into action and called an emergency meeting of all stakeholders to work out a solution.

District magistrate Onkar Singh Meena, Kanksa OC Biswajit Mukherjee, the Kanksa BDO, Essar officials Bipul Banerjee and Anil Jha and four village representatives — Sk Ziarul, Sk Sahajahan, Sk Rafiq and Sk Ismail — held discussions for over an hour before finally striking a deal. Even as the talks were on in Kolkata and Jatgeria, landlosers blocked the roads leading to four of Essar's boring wells. The blockade was lifted as soon as the solution was reached. "We have sought a compensation of Rs 7 lakh per bigha. They have agreed. Work will start from tomorrow," said Ziarul.

Now, Matix Fertilisers at Panagarh targeted
After Essar Oil, another big company, Matix Fertilisers, is in trouble. Land losers from three mouzas at Panagarh in Burdwan mobbed the main gate of the upcoming fertilizer plant and prevented vice-president Subalak Sarkar from entering it on Monday afternoon. The landlosers want a monopoly over all supply jobs and won't allow the Matix management to hire private vehicles even from outside.

Committed to Bengal: Essar
The company also promised to step up corporate social activity in the area and left it to the government to identify the beneficiaries for the 4-acre patta land. "There is an issue of compensation to be paid. The company is willing. But we only seek the government's help to identify them," Ranjan said after a "pre-scheduled" meeting with chief secretary Sanjay Mitra and home secretary Basudeb Banerjee. Later, Ranjan and resident director Manabendra Guharoy met Partha Chatterjee, who held that it was a "small problem and would be sorted out in a few days". The minister hinted at an early solution, saying that there are "apparently four land losers" who need to be compensated.

The Essar project director sounded positive. "We believe the problem will be resolved. We are committed to the people of Bengal. There is an issue of compensation to be paid. The company is willing. But we only seek the government's help to identify them," Ranjan said. "The Essar Oil officials had come to get clearance for their ceiling-surplus land under Section 14Y of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act. They had not informed me yesterday about any incident. However, after I spoke to them today, it appears there are around four land losers who are yet to be compensated by the government. The company has to speak to the villagers. I have asked them to speak to the DM and SDO, if possible, tomorrow and sort out the impasse," Chatterjee said.

[DFan]

KOLKATA: Ankit MetalBSE -1.56 % & Power, which produces TMT bars, sponge iron & billets, has invested Rs 408.45 crore to set up a pellet plant and power unit in West Bengal. The project is part of the company's backward integration programme at its existing unit at Jorehira in the state's Bankura district.

As part of it, Ankit Metal & Power has set up a 0.6 million tonne pellet plant and a 45 MW power unit. While it will use 0.3 million tonne of pellet for captive consumption, the rest will be exported to China. With commissioning of the captive power plant, Ankit Metal & Power will also become self-sufficient in power. The project was funded through a 70:30 mix of debt and equity.

""The Bankura is project is undergoing cold trials and is likely to be commissioned in March this year. With this, our tunover is et to go up to Rs 2,000 crore in 2013-14 fom Rs 1,200 crore this year,"" Ankit Patni, managing director of Ankit Metal & Power said. The plant is built on more than 100 acres and the state government recently regularised the company's use of ceiling excess land for industrial use. "" While power cost will come down by 30%, we also hope to gain by exporting 0.3 million tonne of pellets, which is half of the total production,"" he said.

Ankit Metal & Power is part of the Rs 4,000 crore SKP group, one of the largest producers of ferro chrome, silico manganese, ferro manganese & ferro silicon.

As part of the group's expansion, plans are also afoot to set up a Rs 150-crore ferro alloy plant in Raipur and another Rs 308-crore steel plant at Jajpur in Odisha.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/18273560.cms

[NiladriG]

From PS Blog:

I visited several infrastructure schemes in Kulti, Asansol, Raniguge and Durgapur today. These are all projects under JnNURM. I visited the following schemes:
1. 10 MGD Water Supply Scheme for Asansol (Project Cost Rs 90 crores)
2. Road from Raghunathpur to Dhupchuria: 45km: (Project Cost Rs 95 crores)
3. Road from Gammon Bridge to Gandhi More Durgapur: (Project Cost: Rs 78 crores)
4. Road from Jubilee Dhaba to SCOB Gate, Asansol: (Project Cost: Rs. 43 crores)
5. Sewerage Project for Ranigunj: (Project Cost Rs. 40 crores)

[Jocg]

In these recession times every company is cutting down its production. So, its very unlikely that any state can get any good investment project at this time. So, there is no point blaming the govt. Moreover our country is now getting negative rating internationally. Foreign investors are fed up with the level of corruption. They cannot manage the politicians properly like their Indian counterparts.

[Rajarshi77]

Originally Posted by Jocg

In these recession times every company is cutting down its production. So, its very unlikely that any state can get any good investment project at this time. So, there is no point blaming the govt. Moreover our country is now getting negative rating internationally. Foreign investors are fed up with the level of corruption. They cannot manage the politicians properly like their Indian counterparts.

Please check the investment that Vibrant Gujarat has attracted.

[anan355]

Originally Posted by Rajarshi77

Please check the investment that Vibrant Gujarat has attracted.

To a large extent, vibrant gujrat is a media hype.
You can take a look here about the contrarian view by Business Standard.

http://www.business-standard.com/ind...-off/201578/on

[anan355]

Even as the “man days” of schemes under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) increased considerably countrywide — with Bengal being on the first row — the central scheme has triggered a skilled labour crunch in the jute industry in the state.

“The state is no more a cheap labour destination, which is one of the preconditions for setting up of any industry. The post-MGNREGA scenario dragged down the number of labourers coming to the jute industry in the state from UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. Now the crunch is acute,” said Ganesh Sarkar, general secretary of the National Union of Jute Workers, who has been in the industry for long.

Contribution of the migrant labourers in the jute industry is over 60 per cent at some of the mills in Hooghly and North 24-Parganas districts. At present, 55 jute mills are operational in the state in which 2.5 lakh workers are involved — mostly on contractual basis.

“We are aware of the problem and have discussed it at the concerned platform. It might cast a shadow of labour crisis in the state initially, but generation of labourers from within the state is also on the rise. We hope the demand-supply gap would be mitigated in due course,” said labour minister Purnendu Bose.

A labourer working in the jute industry gets a minimum wage of `196 to `202 a day depending on his/her skill and calculation of dearness allowance. But some mills, flouting labour laws, do not pay even `100 daily to the workers. The daily wage for an MGNREGA labourer, on the other hand, is a modest `160 or so.

“In addition to salary, the working hours and working conditions they enjoy in their local areas is attractive compared to that in the jute mills,” said Sarkar.
This is one of the major reasons for the decline of labour strength in the jute industry in the state. The crisis is getting critical for the past few months with the Centre pressing for a boost for the “man days” under MGNREGA. Some jute manufacturers in Hooghly in recent years have been compelled to reduce working hours to avoid loss.

With Bengal close to the national average of work guarantee in terms of days under the central scheme, many districts are in crisis of daily wagers and sharecroppers in paddy plantation. The labour projection analysis of MGNREGA has clearly revealed that the induction of more beneficiaries would be ensured by the scheme in the next fiscal beginning in April 2013.
“Winding, spinning and weaving units of a jute mill involve healthy labourers with advanced physical ability which the local labourers lack. Thirty per cent of migrant labourers have stopped coming to the state for the past two years as they also find it difficult to cope with the increase in rates of accommodation,” Sarkar pointed out.

The trade union leaders indicated that the added encouragement of the MGNREGA job guarantee scheme and manifold exploitation of jute labourers in the state have bred the recent crisis. The industry demands a strict vigil to comply with the norms of the tripartite agreement to retain the migrant labourers.


Bengal Post

[anan355]

Nothing can be more heartening than this...... a phenomenal mindset.....

Unemployed youth in Bengal prefer being hawkers in streets....rather than working in factories..... and they get patronage from our political leaders...