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Indian Express
28-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
At Business Conclave, push for more Bengalis in business world
The Bengal Business Council hosted its annual convention and vision conclave on Sunday, featuring prominent entrepreneurs and industrialists in attendance. Notable figures such as economist Abhirup Sarkar and former cricketer Sourav Ganguly were also present. The convention's six-point agenda aimed to encourage more Bengalis to pursue business as a career. The key points of this agenda include: Promoting existing start-ups and small businesses owned by Bengalis to help them scale up; Encouraging internal business collaborations among council members; Fostering business development in a cooperative and collaborative manner for council members; Representing members in their interactions with the government regarding policy issues that affect them; Establishing an organization dedicated to achieving these goals and ensuring continuity. During the event, economist Abhirup Sarkar focused on the industrial structure of businesses in Bengal and the national market policy. 'Bengal was once an industrial leader, even ahead of Maharashtra and Gujarat. After independence, we had an initial advantage with established industries. However, some factors led to significant problems. The industries present in Bengal were mainly British companies focused on exports, particularly in tea, jute, and coal, rather than the domestic market. In contrast, Maharashtra was producing primarily for domestic consumption,' Sarkar explained. According to Sarkar, Bengal has consistently lagged in terms of productivity. He noted that at one time, the overall environment was not conducive to growth, and the political climate was also unwelcoming. 'The bombings during the Naxalite movement created challenges that prompted many multinational companies to relocate their headquarters,' he said. Sarkar emphasized the importance of community-based businesses: 'Worldwide, we see that once a community-based business is established, it paves the way for others to enter the market. If there is a successful community business, it can serve as an example for startups.' Discussing the impact of the Left government and its decline, Sarkar remarked, 'In the past, both Bengal and Kerala had Left governments. While West Bengal pursued large investments, often facing land shortages, Kerala focused on small and medium-sized enterprises, resulting in considerable advancement. Kerala's per capita income has more than doubled. I believe we need to concentrate on small and medium enterprises in Bengal. Even now, productivity remains low, and that must change. It would be beneficial to build a robust Bengali business community and foster cooperation. I am confident that with the right focus, Bengal can move forward, as there is no lack of potential.' Speaking at the same event, Sourav Ganguly shared his journey in sports, which began with holding the hand of his elder brother, Snehasish Ganguly. 'There will be failures, but we must remain determined. You have to master the art of success.' He believes that beyond leadership, trusting your team and teamwork are essential to achieving long-term success. 'If you don't believe in hard work, there is no point in seeking success. You must take risks to achieve something, and ultimately, you need to have sportsmanship,' Ganguly said. Ganguly further stated, 'I do what makes me happy. I am passionate about sports and will do whatever it takes to thrive in the sports sector and contribute to youth development. I don't see pressure as a burden; I see it as an opportunity. The best way to face pressure is to confront it repeatedly and maintain discipline.' He also expressed his satisfaction with the increasing number of Bengali entrepreneurs in the country. Speaking to mediapersons outside the event, on India-Pakistan being drawn in the same group, Ganguly said, 'The sport must go on. However, we must ensure that incidents like Pahalgam do not occur. Terrorism needs to be stopped, and India has taken a strong stance against it.'
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
H3N2 on rise, behind long cough-cold spell
Kolkata: A prolonged cold-and-cough could be the H3N2 virus , currently in circulation in the city. Hospitals and labs in Kolkata are seeing a rising number of patients testing positive for H3N2. The cases started trickling in around mid-June, and now, the numbers are multiplying fast. Common during both monsoon and winter months, H3N2 is a subtype of influenza A, like H1N1. Though less virulent than H1N1 (swine flu), this respiratory virus is notorious for causing nagging, prolonged bouts of cough and cold in most affected individuals. "We detected around 23 cases from mid-June till the beginning of this week. And the number is going up, with about 20 more positive cases being detected in our lab in the past three-four days," said microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhuri, head of the lab at Peerless Hospital. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Hospitals reported that while most cases are mild, the detection is mostly from admitted patients who came with complaints like fever, cough, body ache, fatigue, and sore throat. "Last year, we did not get a significant number of H3N2 cases. But there is a marked rise in this upper respiratory infection now. Among the positive samples, many are from children and the elderly," said molecular pathologist Abhirup Sarkar, lab director at Suraksha Diagnostics. Sources said some labs are getting as many as seven H3N2-positive cases in 10 flu samples. What concerns doctors is that while this virus causes mild illness in most cases, it could trigger serious illness in patients under two, and the elderly with comorbidities. Health experts said both H1N1 and H3N2 are subtypes of the influenza A virus, but they differ in their specific characteristics and how they affect humans. H1N1 caused a pandemic in 2009, followed by several surges over the years in India. "H3N2 is a common cause of seasonal influenza, with peaks during the monsoon months and also during winter. Both viruses can cause similar flu-like symptoms, but H3N2 is often associated with higher-grade fever and leucopenia or low WBC count. H1N1 may be linked to more prominent respiratory issues, including viral pneumonia, and gastrointestinal issues. H1N1 usually causes more severe infections than H3N2, and mortality is higher in the former," Chaudhuri added. Narayana Hospital Howrah detected the virus in two male patients who are above 60. "We are concerned about this virus because it can cause severe disease in some, requiring hospitalisation. Currently, there is no vaccine available against H3N2," said Rasika Avinash Deshmukh, microbiologist and infection control officer at the Howrah hospital. Doctors said the route of transmission of this virus is through respiratory droplets, and cough etiquette, mask-wearing, and hand hygiene are some preventive measures.
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
‘Peak of surge ends, COVID count near zero in Bengal'
1 2 3 K olkata: With the number of both COVID samples and positivity rate on the wane for about a week, doctors in the city said the peak of the spike is over and the count is now nearing zero. Even as the state health department stopped updating the state's COVID data since June 10, experts said going by the downswing trend in Kerala and Maharashtra, from where the uptick began, along with only a handful of COVID patients in city hospitals, the COVID-19 graph in the state is also in the ebbing phase. Bengal's active cases, according to the Covid India dashboard that maintains records for all states across the country, stood at 747 on June 9, when the state submitted data for the last time. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata "COVID-19 spike is not a major issue this time in our state. The number is already coming down, and most of the positive cases did not even require hospital admission," said a senior health official. The official also said the uptick in Bengal was caused by the new XFG sub-variant, which belongs to the Omicron variant. Chief microbiologist at Peerless Hospital, Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhuri, also confirmed that the number of positive cases have dropped drastically. The overall active case load in India surged to the highest of 7,400 on June 14, which scaled down to 3,256 on June 27. "At a certain point in time, we were getting around 5 positive samples out of 10; now it has gone down to only about one in 10," said molecular pathologist Abhirup Sarkar, lab director at Suraksha. Microbiologist Shelly Sharma Ganguly of Manipal Broadway also said the lab was getting three to four positive cases every day even a week ago. But now it is getting one or two cases occasionally Critical Care Medicine Specialist Soutik Panda of Woodlands Hospital said his hospital has not got any new positive case for about a week. "Apollo Multispecialty Hospital has only two patients currently with no new case," said Apollo Critical Care and ECMO physician, Arpan Chakraborty.
Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
HC order to make Sixth Pay Commission report public triggers new row over DA
A FRESH controversy has erupted over Dearness Allowance (DA) for West Bengal government employees, after the Sixth Pay Commission report was made public by the state government on Wednesday. This comes after a Calcutta High Court directive that the report should be published online by July 1. The controversy centres around a key recommendation made in the report — specifically in paragraph 12.4 — pointing out that the state is not bound to follow the All India Consumer Price Index (AICPI) to determine DA increases. The Commission, chaired by economist Abhirup Sarkar, said the state may determine DA on the basis of its own financial capacity. The court order was issued by Justice Amrita Sinha in response to a petition filed by government employee Debaprasad Halder. The petitioner had argued that while the state cited the Sixth Pay Commission in its defence in the ongoing DA litigation, the report itself had never been made publicly available. The court instructed the government to upload the document on the official website of the State Pay Commission. The Commission, chaired by economist Abhirup Sarkar, said the state may determine DA based on its own financial capacity. 'In view of the above, the Commission recommends that the State Government may from time to time decide the quantum of Dearness Allowance to be given to the employees, taking into consideration the financial resources available to the State Government. The State Government shall not be required to adhere to the prevailing All India Consumer Price Index for the purpose of granting/or fixing and /or enhancing the quantum of Dearness Allowance,' the report states. This has drawn sharp criticism from employee organisations, who allege that the recommendation legitimises the state's reluctance to align with central DA rates. They also allege that it formed the basis for the government's decision to reduce House Rent Allowance (HRA) from 15% to 12% of basic pay. 'It was our long-standing demand to make the report public. Now, it is clear why the government has been saying it is not bound to match central DA rates or maintain earlier HRA levels,' said Malay Mukhopadhyay, leader of the Confederation of State Government Employees, West Bengal, which is one of the petitioners in the legal battle. Dearness Allowance is extra money given to government employees and pensioners to help them deal with rising prices, calculated as a percentage of the basic salary or pension. The DA issue has been a long-standing point of contention in West Bengal. The state currently pays 18 per cent DA, following a 4 per cent hike announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in this year's budget. In contrast, central government employees receive 55 per cent DA. 'The revised House Rent Allowance of the employees… may be fixed at 12 per cent of the revised Basic Pay,' the Commission report states. The matter gained renewed urgency after the Supreme Court, on May 16, ordered the state to release 25 per cent of outstanding DA arrears within three months. A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta passed the interim order while hearing the state's appeal against a 2022 Calcutta High Court ruling that had directed parity with central government DA rates. The Supreme Court specified that the interim relief would apply to arrears accumulated between 2009 and 2019, affecting nearly 10 lakh state employees. 'We are of the considered view that the petitioner-State should release at least 25% of the amount due and payable… within a period of six weeks from today,' the court said in its order. Meanwhile, the deadline for this payment ends on Friday, June 27, but the state government has not yet made any announcement. 'The Sixth Pay Commission has misled the government. Our fight in court will continue,' Mukhopadhyay said. Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC directs state to make Pay Commission report public
Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the state to make the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission public. Acting on a petition by an employee of the state correctional home, Justice Sinha directed the state to upload the complete report in the state website to ensure its public access. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Justice Sinha also directed to hand over a copy of the report to the petitioner. Economist Abhirup Sarkar was the chairman of the Commission. Justice Sinha observed that the Pay Commission report was not a secret document. "Withholding it for an extended period is improper and also an injustice to employees whose livelihoods are directly affected by the recommendations of the Pay Commission," Justice Sinha said.
