CPIM state conference, January 2008
On the first day of the CPI-M’s four-day-long state conference on January 14 2008, the party’s top leadership tried to grapple with the self-contradictions in its ideological and tactical positions that have come to the fore in recent times.
Buddha gets pat from World Bank (April 7, The Telegraph)
The World Bank today expressed satisfaction over steps taken by the Bengal government for economic reforms and attracting investment and indicated it would pump in more funds for a string of projects in the state.
Emerging from a meeting with chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the World Bank director in charge of south-east Asia, Sadiq Ahmed, said the state government was trying its best to woo investors and good work was being done towards reforms.
“We are of the opinion that the state government has taken positive steps towards comprehensive economic growth of Bengal and is trying its best to bring in new investment and carry out reforms properly,” said Ahmed.
The World Bank director said the state government had also taken measures for poverty alleviation. “The government has also taken positive steps in its budget to reduce fiscal deficit and had increased revenue by 20 per cent from VAT,” said Ahmed.
A three-member World Bank team led by Ahmed today reviewed the ongoing World Bank-funded projects in Bengal in the fields of technical education, panchayat and rural development.
The Bengal government has proposed to the World Bank to provide funds for projects in the health, municipal affairs and urban development sectors. Today’s meeting also discussed the proposed projects. Among others present at the meeting were finance minister Asim Dasgupta and chief secretary A.K. Deb.
“We held discussions on how to increase assistance to the state in the fields of health, education and municipal sectors. We also discussed ongoing
projects,” said Ahmed.
Ahmed said the government had adhered to guidelines set for the ongoing projects. “So, we think there will not be any problems to sanction funds for future projects.”
However, he added that while drawing up projects for World Bank funds, the state government should emphasise on basic services to common people.
Santa Claus visits the Tatas
By Ashok Mitra (The Telegraph, March 30)
The uproar over Nandigram — and Singur — in West Bengal will not die away soon. Competitive democracy has its own laws; those opposed to the party ruling in the state will try to squeeze the maximum advantage from the discomfiture it has brought upon itself.
Speculation continues on the riddle as to why, despite repeated assurances to the contrary, the state administration fell back on a colonial-type police offensive to re-assert its authority in Nandigram. The underlying reason, informed sources suggest, was a strong message from the Salim group, who were promised vast stretches of land in the area for their chemical hub project; they might move away elsewhere, the message said, if the land was not handed over to them within the next few weeks. That set the panic bell ringing; the sequel has been horrifying.
A Million Nandigrams
By Sunita Narain
We were standing between a massive mine and a stunning water reservoir. Local activists were explaining to me how this iron ore mine was located in the catchment of the Salaulim water reservoir, the only water source for south Goa.
Suddenly, as I clicked with my camera, we were surrounded by a jeepload of men. They said they were from the mine management and wanted us off the property. We explained that we had come on a public path and that there were no signs to indicate that we were trespassing. But they were not in a mood to listen. They snatched the keys of our jeep, picked up stones to hit us and got abusive. Before things got totally out of hand, we decided to leave.