10 THE ECONOMIC TIMES KOLKATA MONDAY 30 AUGUST 2010 planeteast@timesgroup.

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Vedanta Aluminium Ltd has sought an
alternate source of bauxite from the Orissa
government for its aluminium refinery unit
at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district. This
follows the environment ministry’s rejection
of the company’s plan to mine bauxite at
Orissa’s Niyamgiri.
SEEDS OF SORROW

Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will
dismantle bunkers built by their respective
police forces on either side of the border as a
confidence building measure to resolve the
tension along their borders.

The Centre may allocate an alternate site for

the proposed Haripur nuclear power plant.
Acquiring land for the project became
West Bengal is witnessing farmers’ suicides as 11 districts in the state
difficult at Haripur, a fishing hamlet in West
Bengal’s East Medinipur district, amid
protests from villagers. The project was to be
are hit by drought. The state now plans alternative means to help
built with the by a Russian nuclear power
equipment and service export company,
Atomstroyexport.
combat this crisis, writes Tamal Sengupta
UICIDES by farmers were common- which 55.78 lakh hectare is farmland. A major por- be possible to cultivate about 11 lakh hectare of the to-
place in Andhra Pradesh a few years tion of this 55.78 lakh hectare of farmlands have been tal 55.78 lakh hectare of agricultural land in the state CROP SHOW

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BIZ BUZZ

Bengal National Chamber of
Commerce & Industry fields Farooq
Abdullah, Union minister of new &
renewable energy, at a meeting on
renewable energy in West Bengal.
The Oberoi Grand, August 30, 12 noon

Bengal National Chamber of
Commerce & Industry organises a
meeting on company law and corporate
governance with Salman Khurshid, minister
of state for corporate affairs & minority
affairs. The Oberoi Grand, September 2, 2
pm
ARTMART

Aakriti Art Gallery presents a show
called `No Content Worries’ -- on trends of
contemporary art.
September 3-18, 12-7 pm, Sunday closed

Birla Academy of Art & Culture
presents an exhibition of works by 18 Indian
artists living in Paris. September 3-October 3,
3-8 pm (except Mondays & October 2)

Chemould Art Gallery presents a solo
exhibition of paintings by Ratna Bose.
September 5-9, 2-7 pm
S back. In most cases, farmers had ended
their lives after they failed to repay the
huge amount of accumulated loans.
But, such cases were very uncommon
in West Bengal.
But, the story of Jitu Bagdi may remind the people
of West Bengal again about the pathetic plight of
Andhra Pradesh farmers. Jitu was a 30-year-old
farmer of Karatia village in Ausgram block of Burd-
wan district which is known as Bengal’s rice bowl.
Last week, Jitu ended his life by consuming pesticides.
He had taken a loan from a local money lender and
failed to repay the money as he could not cultivate rice
due to prevailing drought situation in West Bengal.
The same fate befell Yunus Seikh of Basantapur vil-
lage, again in Burdwan district. Like Jitu, Yunus was
also unable to settle the loan as he could not produce
rice due to acute scarcity of water.
Both Jitu and Yunus were so impoverished that
they could not buy water for cultivation, though the
cost of water for agriculture is the lowest in the state
compared to other provinces. In West Bengal, just Rs
37 is required for watering one hectare of land, while
in other states, one needs to cough up between Rs 156
and Rs 267.
West Bengal is now reeling under an intense
drought-like situation. The state government has re-
cently declared 11 of the total 19 districts in the states
as “drought hit districts”. Finance minister Asim Das-
gupta asserts that, based on a preliminary assessment,
the financial losses will swell to Rs 5,000 crore if this
crisis persists for another month.
Mr Dasgupta also points out that this year West
Bengal has witnessed a rainfall deficit of 35% and this
has aggravated the pathetic plight of the farmers in the
state.
Total agricultural land distributed in West Bengal is
11.26 lakh acres and the number of poor farmers who
have benefited has now reached 29.95 lakh. A major
section of this farming community has now fallen
prey to the drought-like situation and are now at the
mercy of raingods. Believe it or not, many farmer
families even in Burdwan district, which is still
known to be a CPM stronghold, were evok-
ing the gods for rains.
In West Bengal, the total land
area is 88.75 lakh
hectare of
brought under various irrigation schemes and farm-
ers ploughing these lands should not get affected ad-
versely due to inadequate rainfall.
But, the state government admits in a recent pres-
entation to the Centre that “due to the vagaries of na-
ture over the decades, irrigation structures (major and
minor) and canal systems could not be maintained
adequately. There has been around 25% reduction of
irrigated area compared to the ultimate potential cre-
ated after commissioning of the schemes. The stabili-
sation of this irrigation potential would be another
cost-effective step.”
Writers’ Buildings bosses also concede in their
drought-related documents to New Delhi that “the
state government would have to undertake, in a
phased manner, thorough overhauling of the canal
system, specially improvement of the hydraulic struc-
tures, for preventing loss of water. The ongoing medi-
um irrigation schemes particularly in Purulia district
also need to be completed at an early date. A sum of Rs
400 crore has been assessed as the expenditure need
during the year 2010-15.” Interestingly, Purulia is one
of those 11 districts in the state which have been de-
clared as a drought-hit zone.
The state government’s submission to the Centre
clearly indicates that the administration has failed
miserably to maintain these irrigation canals to help
them carry water to the farmlands and enable farmers
to cope with this testing situation.
Apprehending a huge negative impact on the agri-
culture sector and agricultural production due to the
current scenario, West Bengal chief minister Bud-
dhadeb Bhattacharjee has recently written a letter to
the Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, re-
questing him to send a central team to visit the
drought-hit districts and prepare a report on the basis
of their ground-level experience.
West Bengal agriculture min-
ister Naren De says that
it would not
due to this critical climate. He also indicates that food
output in the state will be less by 27 lakh metric tonnes
compared to the levels in the previous year. Mr De’s
observations clearly underline a food scarcity in the
state in the days ahead. However, the government is
hopeful about combating the situation by encourag-
ing alternative farming.
Mr Dasgupta also indicates that responding to the
chief minister’s appeal, a central team will arrive in
West Bengal next week to travel to the drought-
scarred districts. “The Centre has recently extended us
Rs 170 crore under the rural employment guarantee
scheme, though we deserve Rs 1,400 crore under this
head. Even though we have received just Rs 170
crore, we have sanctioned Rs 172 crore for rural em-
ployment guarantee to help the farmers who are
struggling to survive,” Mr Dasgupta informs.
The finance minister also claims that his depart-
ment had earlier sanctioned Rs 50 crore from its own
funds to the farmers. “Our government has further
sanctioned another Rs 87 crore (in addition to the
central grant),” he adds.
Finance minister Dasgupta says that there were 11
lakh ponds and water bodies in West Bengal. “We are
planning to prepare a masterplan to utilise these Total land in state
ponds and waterbodies during such a crisis.”
He adds that the government is planning alterna- 88.75 lakh hectare
tive farming to cope with this crisis. “We are also con-
sidering proposals to distribute maize seeds and differ- Gross cropped area
ent types of pulses to the farmers in September so that
they can minimise the financial losses they have al- 96.34 lakh hectare
ready suffered due to the drought,” Mr Dasgupta says.
“The government also plans to set up 2,700 seed vil- Net cropped area
lages which will help farmers to acquire seeds at
cheaper rates. Our target is to create 7,000 seed vil- 52.96 lakh hectare
lages, but right now we are planning to create 2,700
such units to help farmers in an emergency,” Net area under minor irrigation
he informs.
44.34 lakh hectare
Rainfall deficit in July-August this year
35%
Drought-hit districts
11 of 19
Drought impact is being felt on
11 lakh hectare of farm land
Crop loss amounts to
27 lakh metric ton
Financial loss may rise to
`5,000 crore

READY TO ROCK
People with serious disposable incomes may finally be able to
let their hair down after sunset in Jharkhand
N OT TOO long ago, the rich in Ranchi had little to do after
dark. Leisure options were few and far between. Access to
old world clubs like the Ranchi Gymkhana or the Ranchi
Club was confined to a select band of some 3000-odd denizens.
The growing flock of top government officials and corporate exec-
instant hit with Ranchi’s upwardly mobile crowd.
“We don’t mind paying more if the film is good and the
ambience, comfortable. What matters most is I get to spend quali-
ty time with family. I am so happy the entertainment scene is
finally livening up here,” says Ranchi old timer Frank Tirkey.
Sambalpur and Asansol.”
A miniplex in the city

Jusco (read: Jamshedpur Utility Service Co) also plans to devel-

An upcoming mall in Ranchi
utives who had settled down in Ranchi after the birth of
Jharkhand in circa 2000, scarcely had good places to chill out.
Eating out wasn’t exciting either as it meant choosing between
a half decent restaurant or a lonely dhaba on the Patna-Ranchi
highway. Catching a movie was nearly out of the question, given
the dismal upkeep of local cinema halls coupled with their
unsavoury ambience.
But all that may soon be history as change is in the air. People
with serious disposable incomes in these parts may finally be able
to let their hair down after sunset. Jharkhand is silently getting its
entertainment act in place.
Old, conventional cinema halls are swiftly making way for new
age multiplexes and malls. And the growing appetite for
upmarket entertainment options is already palpable. Ever since
Ranchi got its first two-screen miniplex, Eyelex, in Year 2007, it
sparked off an interesting trend. First, it was popular cinema hall
Sujata which developed the ‘Sujata Miniplex’ within its confines.
Thereafter, a spate of local cinema halls like Vishnu Talkies,
Sandhya, Uphaar to Plaza went for a complete makeover.
And the makeover is clearly generating the moolah for these
erstwhile movie hall owners. People are making a beeline for
these trendy zone in droves and the cash registers are jingling.
These plush multiplexes despite higher ticket prices have been an
Jharkhand’s first shopping mall, JD Hi Street, is also poised
transform retail experience in Ranchi. Promoted by Jokhiram
Durgadutt, this upmarket mall will be launched next month. The
mall will include glitzy stores, food courts, gaming zones, bowling
alleys and a huge parking lot.
Says Anurag Sarawgi, JD’s managing partner: “It will be a total-
ly new experience. There will be a three-screen multiplex. The
gaming zone will be spread in 8,000 sq ft. Thus one can throw par-
ties in a nice ambience and safe atmosphere. There will be eight-
counter food courts for the ravellers. Besides, 5,000 sq ft space has
been developed for fine dining,” he said, adding: “in order to man-
age the mall professionally, we have hired a Singapore-based firm
JLM (Jone Lang Lasalle).”
The agency maintain ‘Select City Walk’ mall in Delhi and South
City’ mall in Kolkata. Besides, another mall-cum-multiplex, with
three-screens, is coming up at Hinoo in Ranchi.
And the buzz isn’t confined to Ranchi alone. Things are looking
up in Jamshedpur too. For instance, the Eyelex miniplex is about
to arrive in the steel town by October. Says Anand Lohia, Eyelex
Films director: “Though we’ve had our share of ups and downs,
we’ve found the market pretty lucrative and plan to come up with
new multiplexes. Besides Ranchi and Jamshedpur, we are also
launching miniplexes in Bokaro, Deoghar, Katras, Phusro,
op a multiplex-cum shopping mall at Bistupur, for which the
groundwork is being laid.
Noted film-maker Prakash Jha is also developing a multiplex at
the same location. A Centenary City Centre, promoted by Tata
Steel, is coming up at Golmuri, which will provide shopping
delight to Jamshedpur.
Some aren’t so optimistic. Reputed developer Chandrakant
Raipat, for instance, feels the euphoria is misplaced. “The mall and
multiplex business is seeing a downward trend in large metros.
Though I welcome the changes in the retail and entertainment
scene, I would like to see growth happen in a controlled way. One
would need to factor in people’s purchasing power in a city.
Ranchi or Jharkhand, for that matter, is far from being developed
economically. Also there are several instances where these malls
are in the red,”said.
Be that as it may, Jharkhand’s denizens wish to live for the mo-
ment and are thrilled with about the new dynamism in the state’s
entertainment scene. Young banker Ashrita Sinha who is based in
Ranchi sums up this emerging sentiment best. “I would like to
have access to diverse entertainment options in my hometown,
the kind of options that some friends in big cities like Kolkata, Del-
hi or Mumbai enjoy.”
Navtan Kumar