West Bengal: Planned Development

WEST BENGAL PLANNED DEVELOPMENT

West Bengal has the fifth-highest GSDP in India in 2015 , registering a Growth rate of 17.11% in 2013–2014 and 13.35% in 2014–2015. agriculture is the leading economic sector in West Bengal. The state has been observed that there has been a slow but steady decline in the Percentage share of Industry and agriculture over the years. To garner the benefits form India’s growth as an emerging market, the State Government has taken various steps and reforms in state. Some of the major government efforts in this direction are-

1. DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING WEST BENGAL:-

There are three boards under this department for more holistic planning in the state. They are:-

• State Planning Board:-

State Planning Board is the apex organisation under guidance of which the Department of Planning carries out activities on Plan formulation and Plan Monitoring.
The State Planning Board issues Investment clearance in respect of all Plan schemes taken up by different State Government Departments which involve cost estimate of Rs. 1.0 Crore or more.Annual Plan of the State for 2006-2007 has been finalised under guidance of the State Planning Board and in consultation with other Departments of the State Government.

The State Planning Board, in collaboration with Planning Commission, Government of India took up preparation of State Development Report. The Draft Report had been submitted to Planning Commission. The Report would provide an analysis of different sectors of the State’s economy and will try to project the emerging possibilities in the different sectors.

• Development & Planning Department:-

The Department of Planning formulates Annual Plans and Five-year Plans under guidance of the State Planning Board and in consultation with other Departments of the State Government. The Department coordinates and monitors implementation of the Annual Plans as well as the Five-Year Plans. The Directorate of Evaluation Manpower and Monitoring are all under the administrative control of the Department of Planning. The Department administers important schemes like BidhayakElakaUnnayanPrakalpa (BEUP) JANGAL MAHAL ACTION PLAN (JAP), Strengthening State Plan for Human Development (SSPHD) and Natural Resources Data Management System (NRDMS). This Department is also the nodal agency at State level for such nationally important scheme as Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).

The Natural Resource Data Management System (NRDMS) Centres in all the Districts of West Bengal are controlled by this Department. Evaluation, Monitoring and Manpower (E. M & M) Branch under the Department of Planning monitors and evaluates State Projects in order ensure that the programme objectives of planned schemes follow the right course to improve the Quality Of Life of the citizens.

• Later in year 2012-13 this department was bifurcated and a new department of Department of Statistics & Programme Implementation

• Evaluation, Manpower & Monitoring:-

The Evaluation, Monitoring and Manpower (EM&M) branch was set up for monitoring and evaluation of State Projects and manpower planning in the State. Since inception, it has completed 81 studies on various government Programmes, out of which 8 reports have been published in one compendium. EM&M has brought out reports on evaluation studies on Bio-gas (National Project on Bio-gas development – a case study in West Bengal) and Libraries of Rural Areas recently. Other studies such as study on Ashram Hostel, Border Area Development Programme are in the process of finalisation. It has taken up evaluation study on Non-formal Education programme, Tourism in Ajodhya hill area and micro watershed project at KumariKanan, Purulia.

Following evaluation programmes are proposed to be taken up:-

1. Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Planning:-

The Urban Development Department, which was previously known as the Metropolitan Development Department presently has three Branches viz. Metropolitan Branch, Town and Country Planning Branch and Urban Land Ceiling Branch, each of which has a different history of its own.

In 1961 the Kolkata Metropolitan Planning Organization, the first of its kind in India, was set up through a resolution of the Development and Planning Deptt., to develop a comprehensive development plan for the Metropolis of Calcutta.For all round development of certain other local areas, Kanchrapara Area Development Scheme (Kalyani Township) and Patipukur Township were undertaken by the Development & Planning Department in the fifties and sixties.Present Municipal Affairs Department was created in the year 1991 vide Home (C&E) Department on 29 June, 1991 by bi-furcating the Local Government and Urban Development Department.

1. URBAN PLANNING:-

In the State,Organised planning started with enactment of the West Bengal Town & Country (Planning & Development) Act, 1979. Under the provisions of the said Act different Development and Planning Authorities were constituted, and the said Development and Planning Authorities took important part in the work of Planning and Development of the Urban as well as rural areas under their respective limits by assisting the Local Bodies in this areas.

By 74^th constitute amendment act 1992, the Urban Local Bodies became the primary units for preparation of Draft Development Plans, which are to be integrated bythe District Development Committees, constituted under the West Bengal District Planning Committee Act, 1994, in the case of districts, and in the case of Urban Local Bodies in Metropolitan areas by the Metropolitan Planning Committee constituted under the West Bengal Metropolitan Planning Committee Act, 1995.

                      Further, Participation of poor families in planning and implementation of slum level Basic Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE-development/”>Infrastructure Development as well as Socio-Economic Development has been ensured through formation of Community Based Organisation.

• Recent initiatives taken by department of municipal affairs are:-
• Primary Health services
• Draft development plan
• Accounting reforms new
• Unit area method
• Solid Waste Management
• Administration reforms etc.

1. RURAL PLANNING:-

Panchayats& Rural Development Department of the Government of West Bengal is entrusted with the responsibility of constitution and framing policy related to functioning of the rural local self-government, ie, the Panchayats, providing administrative support to the three tier panchayat system as well as implementation of various rural development programmes including the major POVERTY alleviation programmes in the rural areas of the State. The Department also organizes community action for participatory planning and development through the elected Panchayat bodies at different levels.

1. TOURISM PLANNING:-

West Bengal is one of most favourite tourist destination in India. It is famous for Toy train, Darjeeling hill stations and natural beauty there etc. To promote tourism in state , government has taken up a plan to develop new tourism circuits covering places of historical interest on priority basis.
The state government has plans to develop a tourism circuit covering places in Bankura district like Bishnupur – famous for terracotta temples of 17th and 18th centuries – and Mukutmanipur, where the second biggest earth dam of the country is located.
 

1. Smart Cities:-

The West Bengal government is planning to set up 10 smart cities. The areas or townships selected include New Town – Rajarhat, Durgapur, Bolpur, Kalyani, Baruipur, Gangasagar, Debanandapur, Raghunathpur, Phulbari and Jaigaon.Among these government in planning to make Rajarhat a financial hubas the next-in-line to Mumbai’s BandraKurla.

1. SOLAR CITY MASTER PLAN:-

Kolkata and Madhyamgram are being planned to develop as solar cities and solar cityt master plan has prepared for these cities.

1. The West Bengal Small Industries Development corporation:-

Established in 1961 with an objective to promote small enterprenuers in a wider business arena.At present more than 200 SSI units are being assisted on regular basis.

The estate under WBSIDC are well equipped with infrastructure facilities like road, power, water, drainage etc.

There are about 2500 small scale units in all the estate of WBSIDC with functioning rate of more than 80%. Many small scale units have become medium and large scale also in the recent past under the guidance of WBSIDC.

The corporation is also preparing planned infrastructure for MSME Sector  of Export Promotion, to ensuring economic growth and EMPLOYMENT generation in West Bengal.

1. AGRICULTURE PLANNING:-

Under RastriyaKrishiVikashYojana, the Government of West Bengal has  prepared Comprehensive District Agriculture Plans (CDAPs) covering agriculture and allied sectors based on guide lines issued by the Planning Commission. The State Agriculture Plan (SAP) is the aggregation of physical and financial projections under respective CDAPs covering all the districts and with prioritization of strategies to be adopted and the policy interventions that are necessary. The basic objective of the RKVY is to provide incentives to the State for increasing public investment in agriculture and allied sectors, convergence of related development programmes, facilitating private investment in agriculture infrastructure and sustainable exploitation of available natural resources. The ultimate Goal is to achieve 4% growth rate under the sector.

Vision of State Agriculture Plan:-

• To achieve sustainable livelihood opportunities for the people through eco friendly, clean and value added Agriculture and related activities. The vision would primarily be articulated to address five important aspects of development namely production, infrastructure, Marketing, Environment and human for better productivity, environmental sustainability and employability.
• Creation of sustained employment opportunity for the rural people, including the landless Vision To achieve sustainable livelihood opportunities for the people through eco friendly, clean and value added Agriculture and related activities
• To encourage the concept of development with peoples’ participation which will help in generating the feeling of ownership.

Apart from all these West Bengal government  has introduced State Master plan in 2016, Land use and development Control plan, Loal level planning like Raniganj Master plan and Kolkata Metro master plan etc.,

West Bengal is a state in eastern India. It is the third-most populous state in India, with over 91 million inhabitants. The state is bordered by Bangladesh to the east, Sikkim and Bhutan to the north, Nepal to the north-west, Bihar to the west, Jharkhand to the south-west, and Odisha to the south. The capital of West Bengal is Kolkata, which is also the second-most populous city in India.

The Planning Commission of West Bengal was established in 1955. The commission is responsible for planning the economic and social development of the state. The commission has been instrumental in the development of West Bengal, and has helped to improve the lives of the people of the state.

The Five Year Plans in West Bengal are a series of economic plans that have been implemented by the state government. The First Five Year Plan was implemented from 1951 to 1956, and the latest Five Year Plan is being implemented from 2017 to 2022. The Five Year Plans have helped to improve the economic development of West Bengal, and have helped to reduce poverty in the state.

The economic development of West Bengal has been impressive in recent years. The state has experienced strong economic growth, and has attracted significant foreign investment. The state’s economy is now one of the most diversified in India, and is based on a range of industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, and services.

The social development of West Bengal has also been impressive in recent years. The state has made significant progress in reducing poverty, improving education, and improving healthcare. The state’s Literacy rate is now one of the highest in India, and the state has a well-developed healthcare system.

The infrastructure development in West Bengal has also been impressive in recent years. The state has invested heavily in infrastructure, including roads, bridges, Airports, and power Plants. The state’s infrastructure is now one of the best in India, and has helped to improve the lives of the people of the state.

The human development in West Bengal has also been impressive in recent years. The state has made significant progress in improving the quality of life of its people. The state’s life expectancy is now one of the highest in India, and the state has a low infant mortality rate.

Overall, the planned development of West Bengal has been a success. The state has experienced strong economic growth, has made significant progress in social development, and has improved the infrastructure and human development of its people.

What is planned development?

Planned development is a process of economic development that is guided by a government plan. The plan typically outlines the goals of the development, the resources that will be used, and the timeline for completion.

What are the benefits of planned development?

There are many benefits to planned development. It can help to ensure that development is sustainable, equitable, and efficient. It can also help to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life for residents.

What are the challenges of planned development?

One of the biggest challenges of planned development is that it can be difficult to get everyone on board with the plan. There may be different opinions about what should be included in the plan, and it can be difficult to get everyone to agree on a timeline.

Another challenge is that planned development can be expensive. It can require a lot of resources, such as land, Money, and labor. It can also be difficult to find the right people to implement the plan.

What are some examples of planned development?

Some examples of planned development include the construction of new towns, the development of industrial parks, and the creation of public transportation systems.

What are some of the criticisms of planned development?

One of the biggest criticisms of planned development is that it can be top-down and undemocratic. The government may make decisions about development without consulting with the people who will be affected by it.

Another criticism is that planned development can be inflexible. Once a plan is in place, it can be difficult to change it, even if the needs of the people change.

What are some of the alternatives to planned development?

One alternative to planned development is market-based development. This type of development is driven by the private sector, rather than the government.

Another alternative is community-based development. This type of development is driven by local communities, rather than the government or the private sector.

What is the future of planned development?

The future of planned development is uncertain. Some experts believe that it will become more important in the future, as governments try to address the challenges of Climate change and Urbanization. Others believe that it will become less important, as governments become more open to market-based and community-based development.

Here are some MCQs on the following topics:

• Economic development

• Economic development is the process of increasing the economic well-being and material prosperity of a nation.

• Economic development can be measured by indicators such as GDP, per capita income, and Human Development index.
• There are many different theories about how economic development can be achieved.
• Some of the most important factors in economic development include investment in education, infrastructure, and technology.

• Economic development can have a positive impact on a country’s social and political development.

• Planned development

• Planned development is a type of economic development that is based on a government plan.

• The goal of planned development is to achieve economic growth and social progress in a planned and orderly way.
• There are many different types of planned development, but they all share some common features, such as the use of government planning and investment.
• Planned development has been used in many countries around the world, with varying degrees of success.

• Some of the most successful examples of planned development include the Soviet Union, China, and South Korea.

• West Bengal

• West Bengal is a state in eastern India.

• It is the third most populous state in India, with a population of over 90 million people.
• The capital of West Bengal is Kolkata.
• West Bengal is a major industrial and agricultural state.

• It is also home to a number of important cultural and historical sites.

• History of West Bengal

• The history of West Bengal can be traced back to the ANCIENT KINGDOM of Magadha.

• Magadha was one of the most powerful kingdoms in India during the Mauryan Empire.
• After the fall of the Mauryan Empire, West Bengal was ruled by a number of different dynasties, including the Guptas, The Palas, and the Senas.
• In the 16th century, West Bengal was conquered by the Mughal Empire.
• The Mughals ruled West Bengal for over 200 years.
• In the 18th century, West Bengal was conquered by the British East India Company.
• The British ruled West Bengal for over 100 years.

• In 1947, West Bengal became a part of the independent country of India.

• Culture of West Bengal

• The culture of West Bengal is a rich and diverse mix of Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist traditions.

• The Bengali language is the Official Language of West Bengal.
• Bengali literature is one of the most important literatures in India.
• Bengali music is also very popular.

• West Bengal is also home to a number of important festivals, such as Durga puja and Kali Puja.

• Economy of West Bengal

• The economy of West Bengal is the seventh largest economy in India.

• The main industries in West Bengal are agriculture, manufacturing, and services.
• West Bengal is also a major exporter of tea.
• The Unemployment rate in West Bengal is high.

• The poverty rate in West Bengal is also high.

• Government of West Bengal

• The government of West Bengal is a parliamentary Democracy.

• The head of state of West Bengal is the Governor.
• The head of government of West Bengal is the Chief Minister.
• The legislative body of West Bengal is the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

• The judiciary of West Bengal is headed by the High Court of Calcutta.

• Geography of West Bengal

• West Bengal is located in eastern India.

• It is bordered by the states of Bihar to the north, Jharkhand to the north-west, Odisha to the west, and Assam to the north-east.
• The eastern border of West Bengal is formed by the Bay of Bengal.
• The climate of West Bengal is tropical.

• The major rivers in West Bengal are the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Hooghly.

• Demographics of West Bengal

• The population of West Bengal is over 90 million people.

• The majority of the population of West Bengal is Hindu.
• The main languages spoken in West Bengal are Bengali and Hindi.
• The literacy rate in West Bengal is over 70%.

• The life expectancy in West Bengal is over 70 years.

• Education in West Bengal

• The education system in West Bengal is based on the 10+2+3 system.

• The school system in West Bengal is divided into primary,