WB plans to become modern metropolis
West Bengal government may have developed an industry and investment savvy outlook, but it is now going to focus on four basic pillars for future development - public health, education, unemployment and poverty alleviation.
By TNN |
KOLKATA: It’s like going back to the basics. West Bengal government may have developed an industry and investment savvy outlook, but it is now going to focus on four basic pillars for future development - public health, education, unemployment and poverty alleviation.
The state chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said that while every initiative will be taken to make Kolkata a modern metropolis, the government will now also ensure that needs of the downtrodden section of the society are not neglected. “This will be the future agenda not only for state government but also for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC),” he said.
Mr Bhattacharjee was addressing a meet on self-employment and poverty alleviation organised by KMC here on Wednesday.
“We simply cannot overlook industrialisation any more. But the most predictable outcome of industrialisation-led economic growth is that it pushes a section of people towards poverty. We have to look toward their interests as well,” Mr Bhattacharjee said.
Mr Bhattacharjee said the state government will fuel several initiatives to provide self-employment opportunities to about 40 lakh women across the state. “This apart, there are about 17-18 lakh people who reside in bustee areas in Kolkata. They are an integral part of the city and we have to provide them the basic necessities,” he said.
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The chief minister said while KMC will primarily look at development of Kolkata’s infrastructure, it needs to address social issues as well. “KMC has already taken a lot of initiatives in this regard such as providing mid-day meals in 187 primary schools under KMC, up from four schools last year,” said Mr Bhattacharjee.Incidentally, KMC has set up a comprehensive social sector cell in November last year to look into issues such as education, bustee development and poverty alleviation. It has also recently drawn up a strategy in this regard with assistance from the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID).
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