Himalayan Times (1958)

January 26, 1958

Seven

3,300 beds. The death
rate due to cholera and
• mall-pox has recorded a
sharp decline and the
State claims to have era-
dicated malaria from the
soil. In 1946-47 the per
capita expenditure on me-
dical and publio health
in the State was a little
more than fifteen annas
while the said expenditure
in 1956-57 stood at Bs.
3-2-5. Greater diagnostic
and treatment facilities,
the setting up more hospi-
tals, higher medical edu-
cation and greater training
facilities for medical men
and nurses have also been
provided during the last
ten years.

Industry:
Great emphasis has
been placed on the deve-
lopment of industry in
the State. The Govern-
ment aims at a .planned
integration of big indus-
tries with the small-scale
and cottage industries be-
cause of acute unemploy-
ment problem in the State.
In the sphere of large-
scale industries the work
on the proposed iron and
steel plant at' Durgapur
is in progress. Considera
ble work has also been
done in connection with
the setting up of the
Durgapur coke-oven plant.
Special importance is at.
tached to the development
of oottage and small-scale
industries whioh, when
developed, would solve to

a large extent the prob-
lem of rural unemploy-
ment. Various schemes
connected with village in-
dustries, such as handloom,
coir products, bell-metal
etc. have been taken up.
Under the Howrah Engi-
neering Scheme, 762 small
and engineering firms in
Howrah, near Caloutta,
are being brought toge-
ther to rationalise * and
accelerate their production.
In the rural areas, villagers
are being trained and paid
in the work-cum-training
centres.

Education:
The education policy
pursued in West Bengal
seeks completely to revo-
lutionise . the education
system in the State. All
efforts are being made to
.impart education to those
who should have it. ■■ In
1947-48, the number of
primary schools, in the
State was about 14,000.
The number of such
schools in 1956 57 stood
at over 23,000 and the
number of. scholars from
12 lakhs to 22 lakhs du-
ring the last ten years.
So far as secondary edu-
cation is concerned, the
number of secondary
schools in West Bengal
in 1956 was 3,170 as
against 1,903 in 1947-48.
The secondary schools will,
henceforth, have an 11-
year course as against the
ten-year course in vogue
until reoently. With the

introduction of the 11 -year
course, preliminary know-
ledge of some of the sub-
jects previously taught in'
the intermediate course
being abolished. Some of
the secondary schools are.
being converted to multi-
purpose schools which will
also train students ' in
various arts and crafts
of their choice. This will
help them to choose their
professional career as per
their own adaptability and
knack.

., Irrigation:
... The Mayurakshi Re-
servoir Project is by far
the most important' irri-
gation scheme implemented
in West Bengal. Comple-
ted in 1955-66, the pro-
ject will benefit 6,00,000
acres of land. Another
outstanding scheme under-
taken under the First
Flan is the Sonarpur-
Arapanch Drainage scheme.
It wil| reclaim for- culti-
vation a water-logged area
of .105 square miles. Du-
ring the First Plan, Mo-
ther 117 small irrigation
schemes had been com-
pleted to irrigate another

11 lakh acres of land.
Work on the Sonarpur-
Arapanch second phase
and Bagjola-Ghuni-Jatra
gachi scheme is also pro-
gressing rapidly. 40,000
acres of marshy, tallow
land will be brought under
cultivation when the pro.
jeot is completed. In all,

12 lakh sores of land have