Lift commissioned for Nagarayan Building

Last Friday, on 25th March, the new lift was commissioned. It took a considerable time, but now it is there. We can now commission the 4th floor of UD Department Building called Nagarayan.

I took this photo in Panoramic Mode with my Sony h55 camera. No wonder, I'm not there :)



Salt Lake Plot Lottery Application After Elections

I'd mentioned in an earlier post that we'd referred the matter of Salt Lake Lottery to the Election Commission. I received their decision yesterday. The Commission has directed that the matter may be deferred till completion of the elections in the state.
So we are not proceeding in the matter now.
Here is a link that leads to a story in today's Bartamaan:
http://bartamanpatrika.com/content/kolkata.htm

4P: Public, Private, PEOPLE Partnership

I addressed a CII group recently. I referred to the Amul example and said that industries should compute the full economic value of land - and not merely its present market value - by sharing with landowners future profits derived from the land. Bengal Post carried a story.

Bengal Post

I

Income Tax by Development Authorities

I held a departmental meeting today. I have asked two Accounts Officers to prepare me a note on the tax liability of Development Authorities. I mentioned that as a govt department, we must insist that all our attached offices should pay taxes & duties as per law. In fact I was shocked to learn that Asansol Durgapur Development Authority had their bank accounts attached by the Income Tax Authority at Durgapur who later has forfeited Rs 24 crores.
Today's Statesman carried an editorial; I reproduce a part of it:
***
That ADDA simply got away without paying tax for the past 30 years is a puzzle that may not be easy for the next government to work out. The present never had the inclination ~ and now doesn’t have the time ~ to get to the root of the default. ADDA’s explanation that it is engaged in development and not to earn profit sounds contrived and feeble; rightly has it cut no ice with the Union ministry of finance.
(The Statesman dt 21 March 2011)
***
I have also come to know that KMDA receives IT notices and they are in touch with legal firm. I was told that SJDA's accounts were also attached some time back. *
     Strangely, and pitifully, there is no file or reference in the UD Department. No officer seemed to know anything about it, not to speak of the IT Tax Amendment carried out in 2002 or so that withdrew the exemption given to Development Authorities.
    I hope the Accounts Officers come up with a clear note soon.

(*HDA is sending a note to me; I have deleted the reference to HDA)

Kolkata Metro Board Meeting Postponed

I received an SMS today that the meeting of the Board of Directors of Kolkata East West Metro is cancelled. I was supposed to fly to Delhi today evening. The meeting was supposed to be held at 10 am on 18th March at Nirman Bhavan, Delhi.
No reasons were given.
I wonder if it has something to do with the following news that appeared on the Indian Express few days ago.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rly-ministry-refuses-to-take-over-eastwest-metro/761474/

* * *

There was another press report today on East West Metro in today's Bartamaan. Here is the link
http://bartamanpatrika.com/content/rajya.htm

Seminar at Silver Spring on Free and Fair Elections on Monday, 14th March

I was a panelist in the day-long seminar on Free & Fair Polls. It was organised by an NGO called FAME. My former boss Mr N Gopalaswamy was also there. I'd had a good conversation with him the day before.

Few links are as follows:

http://epratidin.in/Details.aspx?id=7363&boxid=25222937

http://bartamanpatrika.com/content/rajya.htm

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMS8wMy8xNSNBcjAwNTAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Reference to Election Commission

Many people are asking me about the fate of Salt Lake Group Housing Lottery scheme that was announced on 28th Feb.
Since the Model Code of Conduct came into force the very next day, we have referred the matter to the Election Commission.
Till we hear from them, we cannot move forward.

e-Tender

Recently, I am again receiving some queries from Development Authorities as to whether they should go for e-tendering or not.
In June 2010, there was a meeting of all Development Authorities where it was recorded that all must introduce e-Tendering procedures using NIC software or otherwise as soon as possible. This was to bring in transparency and wider participation from bidders.
Subsequently, the Information & Cultural Affairs Department issued a GO stating that copy of tenders must be sent in hard and soft forms to them by email.
KMDA has already made some good progress.
I would urge all Authorities concerned to switch to e-tender norms as soon as possible.

Meeting at Haldia

I accompanied Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh - who is also the Chairman of HDA - to Haldia. The meeting was routine as most proposals were deferred in view of the Model Code of Conduct. But the time spent on the journey was enjoyable, learning from the insights of the top civil servant of the state whom I admire and respect a lot.

Model Code of Conduct comes into effect

Feedback Ventures and Ghosh, Bose Associates made a presentation today to Chief Secretary at Writers' on the plans for Baruipuur district HQ project.
The general consensus was that the design was too corporatised and unsuitable for govt requirements.
I will hold a review.
* * *
After the meeting that ended at 6 pm, I accompanied Chief Secretary to his room. Few other Secretaries also trooped in. We saw TV announcement of poll schedule.
The Code of Conduct starts.

Seminar on GIS and Remote Sensing

I inaugurated a seminar organised by the Institution of Surveyors. The topic was "Role of GIS and Remote Sensing in Surveying and Land Management".

I asked why we cannot start upwards, adding value, to digitised maps available in the public domain like google maps but must always re-invent the wheel by starting from NRSE data/ maps.I asked why there is such a disconnect between institutes and departments who use GIS.

The seminar was in the new auditorium at Nalban. It was made by BENFISH. It is called Rabindra Kanan Hall. Fairly OK, air-conditioned hall.

Sewage Fed Fishery at Kalyani

Today I went to Bhatpara and Kalyani to see site of proposed Sewage Treatment Plant Projects. At Kalyani, I saw how sewage water was being used for fish cultivation. Synergy between th two depatments I now hold !

I am Secretary of Fisheries too !

Today afternoon, I took charge of Principal Secretary, Fisheries Department. This is in addition to my existing charge of UD

Meeting with Statnding Committee of Parliament on Tuesday last

I attended the meeting with the Committee of Parliament on Minority Affairs. Chief Secretary represented the state govt; I and other secretaries were also there. This was on the 14th Feb, Tuesday.
In the report by UD Department, we indicated that in the 10 towns (other than Kolkata) which had Minority Population more than 20%, the percentage of minority beneficieries in BSUP houses was 22%

Sustainable Cities

I attended the conference on Sustainable Cities yesterday. It was organised by CREDAI and ICC. Besides chairing a technical session and making a presentation myself, I was also present in the inaugural session.
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There has been two references in today's newspapers: in The Telegraph and Indian Express. The links are as follows:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110212/jsp/calcutta/story_13568969.jsp

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bengal-finally-wakes-up-to-frame-its-housing-policy/749189/

IIT Kanpur Seminar on Sewage Treatment through PPP

Finished the ice-cream served in Rajdhani express. I just boarded the Howrah bound Rajdhani express. From Kanpur. I reached IIT today morning itself.
The problem in PPP for urban sectors - unlike Delhi T3 airport, for example - is that revenue earning is poor in fields such as sewage treatment. IIT posed the following model:
Treat sewage as a source of water, like ground water, for instance. Treat it. After a tertiary treatment, the water is clean. Cost is about 1 p per litre. PPP SPV can sell it to Municipalities and they will be refinanced by NGRBA. Municipalities can supply the treated wastewater to bulk industrial consumers, or agriculture or even for ground water recharging.
Sounded interesting.

Govt of India Survey on Women Elected Representatives in Municipalities

I got a DO letter from Govt of India. This stated that a study was done on women elected to urban local bodies  to assess their training needs.
The study is available at:
http://niua.org/Publications/research_studies/Impact_assessment_women_elected_Representatives/Impact%20assessment_summary.pdf
Interesting read

Planning For Environmentally Sustainable Urban Development

Our Urban Development Department today co-hosted with the US Consulate an interactive discussion on Urban Planning today morning, with Dr (Ms) Kristina Ford. The topic was:
Planning For Environmental Sustainable Urban Development
With special reference to challenges brought by increasing urbanization.

It was a refreshing experience, sharing thoughts with experiences drawn from USA & New Orleans and India & West Bengal. Mr P.K.Biswas, Associate Town Planner gave a very good introductory presentation. Dr Ford integrated her talk excellently from where the presentation left.

Key take-aways:
(1) "Smart Growth", "Sustainable Growth" are slogans that may not always communicate well (2) Planners and planning concepts must reach out to a wider audience (3) Besides the objectives, the urban processes through which the future path traverses may need attention too: citizens may have to give up something now to get a green future, for example
* * *
Kristina Ford happens to be the wife of Mr Richard Ford, who inaugurated Kolkata Book Fair in 25th Jan. I went to the book fair yesterday, like every past year since my college days. The White House pavilion reminded me of my visit to Washington in 2005

National Development Committee on UD Postponed

I was to attend a meeting of the NDC's UD Sub Committee today at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi. It was called off at the last moment. No reasons were given, but I understand that this was because Jaipal Reddy has just gone away and Kamal Nath has taken over yesterday.
I attended a meeting with Secretary, MoEF, GoI on NGRBA at Paryavaran Bhavan, New Delhi

Bonjemari

I am now in Shatabdi express and heading towards Howrah It is 7 pm and hot tomato soup was just served. A little while ago, I visited Bonjemari. This is a site that is close to Maithon / Chittaranjan. An area of 1100 acres has been identified for shifting people in 139 locations that are subsidence-prone due to underground mining.
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I wished to emphasise that the mini-township must be planned well. It should be sustainable, carbon-friendly and economically vibrant. Onkar Meen (DM Burdwan), CEO ADDA, AEOs, Town Planner (Anindita & Others) were with me.
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Earlier, I had this very interesting brainstorming session at ADDA House in Asansol where I followed up the tasks assigned to me at Delhi on Affordable Housing. The basic question was: "What can be done to facilitate PPP projects solely for the EWS / LIG category?"
I got some good suggestions. I requested all present to present their views to me by email within a week.