Bengal gears up to foil general strike on Wed
2
3
Kolkata: Bengal govt is pulling out all the stops to foil the general strike called by 10 central trade unions and their affiliates on July 9 against Centre's "anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies".
In a notification issued by transport secretary Saumitra Mohan, the state govt has urged all public and private transport operators, including state transport undertakings (STUs), to operate normal services on that day. Railway authorities — including Eastern, Southeastern, North Frontier and Metro — have been requested to run all train services without disruption for the convenience of commuters.
The state transport department will deploy additional buses and ferries and control rooms are being set up.
All leaves of drivers, conductors and other staff have been cancelled.
You Can Also Check:
Kolkata AQI
|
Weather in Kolkata
|
Bank Holidays in Kolkata
|
Public Holidays in Kolkata
Meanwhile, private transport bodies announced on Monday that a sufficient number of private buses, taxis and autos will operate. Control rooms will be operational from 6am on Wednesday. The helpline numbers are: 033-2236-1916/0462/0463 and 8697733391.
The state govt also announced that in each shift, 500 CSTC, 200 CTC and 70 WBSTC buses will be on the roads.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here]
Esseps
Learn More
Undo
Most buses will operate in two or three shifts. Additionally, 25 ferries and two trams will be in service.
Bengal chief secretary Manoj Pant has held meetings with DGP Rajeev Kumar, senior officials and DMs so that normalcy is not affected in any way and roads are not blocked.
Bengal govt also made it clear that it will be mandatory for all state govt offices to remain open on Wednesday. All employees are expected to report for duty on July 9, and no leave — casual, half-day or full-day — will be granted unless covered under specific exceptions.
The notification made it clear that any absence on July 9 will be treated as 'dies-non' (unauthorised absence with no salary), unless for personal or medical emergency.
AIBEA, AIBOA and BEFI decided to join the all-India general strike on July 9, keeping banks shut. Other constituents of UFBU in the banking industry have also extended their moral support to this strike, AIBEA president Rajen Nagar said.
Former SUCI MLA Tarun Naskar and general secretary of All India Save Education Committee said one of their issues was to scrap the National Education Policy, so they extended their support to the strike. Chandidas Bhattacharya, state secretary of SUCI, said its trade union AIUTUC would be actively involved in the strike.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
EC's Bihar roll revision may set template for other states
1 2 Patna: The ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar is likely to become a model for the Election Commission of India ( ECI ), which plans to replicate similar exercises in other states like West Bengal and Assam, where assembly elections are scheduled following Bihar's. The Bihar assembly election is set for Oct-Nov this year. While the focus now shifts to July 28 when the Supreme Court will hear the ECI's response following its initial hearing on July 10, the process of collecting enumeration forms, already distributed to most voters, is set to conclude by July 25. In its earlier remarks, the Supreme Court declined to halt the process or issue any interim order but asked the ECI to consider Aadhaar cards, ration cards and MGNREGA cards as valid documents. It has also sought a detailed response on key concerns raised by the petitioners. Despite this, the ECI is unlikely to amend its position. By July 12, over 80% of Bihar's approximately 7.9 crore registered voters had already submitted their enumeration forms. According to ECI estimates, the remaining submissions are expected before the July 25 deadline. As per the ECI's notification on June 24, the SIR began on June 25. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Seniors Now Entitled to 87¢ ED Meds (Tap To See if You Qualify) Health Alliance by Friday Plans Learn More Undo Voters not listed in the 2003 electoral were asked to submit any one of 11 specified documents, excluding Aadhaar, ration and MGNREGA cards along with their completed and signed enumeration forms. However, with many rural voters lacking these documents, booth-level officers (BLOs) have "unofficially" relaxed the rules, accepting forms either without documentation or with Aadhaar or voter ID cards. The ECI has made it mandatory for all voters to submit a completed and signed form. Those born after 1987 and added to the voter list after Jan 1, 2003 must prove their citizenship through documents such as a birth certificate, passport or educational certificate. July 1987 has been set as the cut-off for providing proof of date and place of birth to qualify for registration. Voters residing outside Bihar are also required to download, fill and upload the enumeration form with the necessary documentation via the ECI website by July 25. Failure to comply may result in removal from the electoral roll. The ECI encourages long-term migrants to enrol at their current place of residence to prevent duplication of voter IDs. The ECI has justified this revision drive citing factors such as rapid urbanisation, internal migration, new eligible voters, unreported deaths and the inclusion of foreign nationals. The exclusion of Aadhaar, ration and MGNREGA cards as valid identity proof, based on citizenship concerns, could have wider implications, particularly in border states with changing demographics. Allegations persist that illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh have entered Indian territory and obtained Aadhaar cards. Media reports suggest that in Bihar's Seemanchal region, comprising the districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar and Purnia, the number of Aadhaar card holders exceeds the actual population by approximately 25%. This discrepancy is largely attributed to Aadhaar numbers still being active for people who are deceased. BJP MP and former state party president Sanjay Jaiswal said, "The revision will expose and remove illegal entries like those of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis from the list." On the other hand, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani said, "If the infiltrators have become voters, then why not cancel the membership of the MPs elected in 2024 and hold fresh Lok Sabha elections? And if there are infiltrators in Bihar, then what was your govt doing?" The UIDAI has clarified that Aadhaar is a means of identity verification and does not establish citizenship or domicile. However, this distinction may pose difficulties for some new voters, particularly newly married women from Nepal who settle in Bihar's border districts. Due to familial information required on the form, many may struggle to prove their Indian citizenship either by birth or lineage. The ECI has dismissed allegations from the opposition as politically driven. In a post on its official X account, the commission pointed out that the RJD had appointed 47,507 booth-level agents (BLAs) actively participating in the revision process, despite the party accusing the ECI of disenfranchisement. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), one of the petitioners, has argued before the Supreme Court that 30% to 40% of Bihar's population has migrated for work or business, making it impractical to include them in the revision on such short notice. During the hearing, the Supreme Court posed three critical questions to the ECI – whether it has the authority to amend the voter list, what procedure it followed and whether the timing of the revision was appropriate. The court observed, "If you have to check citizenship under the special intensive revision in Bihar, then you should have taken steps earlier. It is a bit late now." In response, the ECI cited Article 326 of the Constitution, which requires Indian citizenship to be eligible to vote. The commission also argued that the Representation of the People Act contains provisions relating to citizenship. The ECI's stance came under scrutiny when the Supreme Court questioned whether determining citizenship fell under the commission's jurisdiction. "This is the Home Ministry's job and the EC should not go into that," the court observed. However, the ECI said citizenship cannot be proved only by Aadhaar card and there is a provision for citizenship in the Representation of the People Act as well. As of now, the revision is being implemented by 77,895 BLOs, 20,603 newly appointed BLOs, over 4 lakh volunteers and 1.56 lakh BLAs deployed by political parties – all working to complete the process under tight timelines.
Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
CM for focus on protection of local livestock breeds
1 2 Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said agriculture and livestock were mutually connected and asserted the importance of focusing on local breeds. "Prosperity cannot come without the prosperity of the farmer. Agriculture and livestock have been interconnected in India. The farmer who provides food will have livestock in his house, and the livestock owner will also be connected to farming. Considering their interrelationship, significant steps have been taken in this sector in UP. The energy of the double-engine govt has benefited UP, making it the number one state in milk production in the country," he said. The CM was addressing the 'Development of Animal Breeds in India' workshop at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan on Saturday. He also inaugurated the Artificial Insemination Training Institute of Gorakhpur and three projects in UP (Amethi, Bareilly, and Mathura) under the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund. Adityanath also called for the preservation of local livestock breeds, praising those who employ indigenous methods for breed improvement. "Many local breeds are on the verge of extinction. By paying attention to them, we can provide a permanent source of prosperity for livestock farmers," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Upto 15% Discount for Salaried Individuals ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo Yogi said the Centre has assured its help in meeting the challenges of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the livestock. "By making livestock FMD free, the state govt will contribute to bringing prosperity to the lives of livestock farmers," Yogi said. The Chief Minister asserted that when his govt assumed office in 2017, it faced the challenge of inadequate improvement in the breed of livestock, which was eventually left to roam freely on roads and fields or was sent to slaughterhouses. "There was trouble for farmers' fields and accidents on the roads," he said adding that today more than 14 lakh cows were being taken care by govt's cow shelters or govt-aided cattle keepers. The CM said the Gauseva Commission in UP has been given the responsibility to ensure proper upkeep of destitute cow shelters. "Campaigns are being run for breed improvement. Farmers are also being trained to connect the destitute cow shelters with natural farming," he said. The CM said various milk producers were working in UP, including Balini of Jhansi, Gorakhpur, Agra and Varanasi. "Lakhs of women are associated with this, who achieve the goal of milk collection, self-reliance through committees, and also take care of a good breed of animal husbandry. Value addition through milk collection can contribute to bringing prosperity to the lives of farmers and animal breeders," he said. Yogi said in the current situation, excessive use of chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers is giving rise to new diseases, and it was important to adopt to natural farming. For this, the CM said, his govt launched a special campaign to promote natural farming in 27 districts. "Natural farming is also being encouraged in all seven districts of Bundelkhand. Efforts have been started to increase the importance of cow-based farming. This will contribute to increasing the income of farmers," he said. Yogi said UP was among the leading states in fish production and has also taken a big leap in egg production and poultry farming. He said the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) signed an MoU with the UP govt and is taking care of three dairies (Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Kannauj). Ambedkar Nagar's fodder production centre has also been given to NDDB.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘State planning Centres of Excellence for indigenous & regional languages'
1 2 The National Education Policy emphasises on promoting mother tongues and local languages from schools to higher education. State's higher and technical education department's deputy director Vibha Pandey talks to Sanjay Sahay on the measures adopted by the state govt for promoting tribal and regional languages. Excerpts:- Q: Tell us about the govt's plans to promote major tribal and regional languages in the state A: Teaching in nine tribal and regional languages are underway in Ranchi University's Tribal and Regional Languages Institute (TRI) and other universities and colleges across the state. However, all nine subjects are not taught in every varsity due to various hurdles. The higher education department is working on plans to ensure teaching of those all over the state to cater to every section of the society. The appointment of faculty members would be done in this regard soon. This apart, the state govt has implemented several schemes including the Guruji Credit Card Scheme, Valmiki Scholarship Scheme, Maniki Munda Scholarship Scheme and CM Fellowship Scheme for Academic Excellence, which would focus on promotion of tribal and regional languages. Q: There is a demand for language academy in the state. Is the department considering the same? A: The state govt has announced setting up of Pandit Ragunath Murmu Tribal University for promotion of languages and other aspects of tribal people. We are looking for a plot in Ghatshila for its permanent premises with all the facilities. A proposal is also under consideration for setting up Centres of Excellence in Universities for indigenous and regional languages. Q: What about the infrastructure for languages studies? A: A detailed project report has been prepared for bolstering infrastructure of educational institutions across the state. The vice chancellors and the architects have shared their views on the matter. A power point presentation has also been showed to chief minister Hemant Soren in this regard. Q: University faculty members including of tribal and regional languages (TRL) are disappointed over not getting promotion for years A: The department has framed rules and regulation for promotion of higher education teachers. There are proposals with Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) in this regard. We would be soon writing a letter to JPSC to speed up the process.
