Pranab’s budget gift for West Bengal
February 26th, 2010 - 7:41 pm ICT by IANS
Kolkata, Feb 26 (IANS) Two days after Mamata Banerjee showered goodies on West Bengal in the railway budget, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee brought more cheer for the people of the eastern state.
Mukherjee’s proposal to include embankment schemes along rivers Bhagirathi and Ganga-Padma in the Central Sponsored Flood Management Programme, is good news for people in a vast stretch of north Bengal, where river erosion is a major problem.
In the process, Mukherjee also served his constituency Jangipur in Murshidabad district, which is hard hit by the erosion.
The Ganges-Padma erosion has impacted the lives of thousands in Murshidabad, with many of them displaced due to tides, especially between Farakka and Jalangi and from Jangipur to Sagardighi area.
While mentioning the ‘Mission Clean Ganga 2020′ under the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) with the objective that no untreated municipal sewage or industrial effluent will be discharged into the national river, Mukherjee said in his budget speech: “I propose to double the allocation for NGRBA in 2010-11 to Rs.500 crore.”
He added: “I am happy to inform the honourable members that schemes on bank protection works along river Bhagirathi and river Ganga-Padma in parts of Murshidabad and Nadia district of West Bengal have been included in the Centrally Sponsored Flood Management Programme.
Mukherjee also provided budgetary support for drainage schemes of river-basins in East Midnapore and West Midnapore districts besides for the flood master plan on Kandi in Murshidabad district.
“I also propose to provide budgetary support for drainage scheme of Kaliaghai-Kapaleswari Baghai basin in the district of Purba and Paschim Midnapore, and Master Plan of Kandi sub-division in Murshidabad, West Bengal,” the finance minister said.
He also said that there is a need to develop an alternate port at Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district.
“Recognising the need for developing an alternate port facility in West Bengal, it is proposed to develop a project at Sagar Island. Necessary funds will be provided in due course,” he said.
- Murshidabad welcomes embankment protection scheme - Feb 27, 2010
- Centre approves Rs 7000 crore project to clean Ganga - Apr 28, 2011
- Green activist ends fast after government accepts demands (Lead) - Mar 23, 2012
- Pranab's Jangipur seeks attention in 2010-11 budget - Feb 25, 2010
- Compensation sought for land erosion - Mar 29, 2012
- Cabinet clears Rs.7,000 crore to clean Ganga - Apr 28, 2011
- Holy Ganga receives 2,900 million litres sewage daily: PM - Apr 17, 2012
- India signs agreement with World Bank to clean Ganga - Jun 14, 2011
- Ganga activists threaten to re-launch campaign - May 14, 2012
- World Bank loan to clean the Ganga - Jun 13, 2011
- NGRBA officials' resignation not accepted: Narayanasamy - Mar 23, 2012
- AMU starts Murshidabad campus - Mar 06, 2011
- Jairam Ramesh emphasises at the need of river conservation - Feb 10, 2010
- More funds to clean Ganga, drop in wildlife protection - Feb 26, 2010
- Estimate impact on farmers of less rainfall : Pranab - Sep 26, 2010
Tags: bhagirathi, budget speech, budgetary support, drainage scheme, drainage schemes, flood management, ganga river, industrial effluent, midnapore, municipal sewage, nadia district, north bengal, purba, railway budget, river basin authority, river basins, river erosion, river ganga, sagar island, west bengal