Kolkata, April 27: West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra has urged Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley not to shift the headquarters of National Insurance Company from the city as a part of proposed merger of public sector general insurance companies.
In a communication to Jaitley, he also said any move to shift the insurance company's head office from the city will "strike a blow" to the emerging financial ecosystem in West Bengal and will "hurt the interest" of people of Bengal and eastern India at large.
"After the announcement in this year's Union Budget of the merger of the three public sector insurance companies, I am apprehensive that the headquarters of the National Insurance Company Ltd might now be shifted away from Kolkata," he said in a letter.
Mitra mentioned the insurance company with a turnover of Rs 16,472 crore and assets worth Rs 32,397 crore is the oldest general insurance company in India, located in Kolkata since its inception.
According to him, the insurance company is building its head office in the newly developed financial hub in New Town, Kolkata. About 24 banks and financial institutions have taken spaces in this hub for building their offices and State Bank of India has built its largest training centre in the hub.
"In this positive atmosphere of financial services, any move to shift the National Insurance Company Ltd headquarters from Kolkata will definitely strike a blow to this new financial ecosystem. I therefore, urge you not to move the National Insurance Company's headquarters from Kolkata," he said.
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Medical tests, vaccination for Haj pilgrims to be completed by March 28
Bengaluru: Health and Family Welfare Services Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde has directed officials to complete medical examinations and vaccination for pilgrims travelling for Haj this year by March 28.
In a circular issued to the Director of the Medical Education Department, he stated that the District RCH Officer has been designated as the nodal officer to complete all related activities as per the Standard Operating Procedure. The District Health Officer concerned will oversee overall monitoring and coordination of the programme.
The Commissioner has instructed deans and directors of medical colleges, district surgeons and medical superintendents to extend necessary cooperation to ensure smooth conduct of the medical examinations. Medical colleges have also been asked to deploy specialist doctors from their institutions to assist in the medical screening teams for Haj pilgrims.
Hospitals participating in the process must submit details of the specialist teams involved in the examinations and the schedule of health camps organised for the pilgrims. They have also been directed to update the daily progress of the activities on the website https://hphis.ehospital.nic.in/ for monitoring and review.
Officials have been asked to make necessary arrangements in view of the 3,991 Haj pilgrims in Bengaluru who are required to undergo medical screening. Facilities for the examinations have been arranged at Victoria Hospital, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College and Research Institute (Bowring Hospital), K.C. General Hospital, Jayanagar General Hospital, Sir C.V. Raman General Hospital, K.R. Puram General Hospital and Yelahanka General Hospital.
Meanwhile, Karnataka State Haj Committee president Zulfikar Ahmed Khan said that medical examination camps are being organised at Haj Bhavan until March 16. As per the directions of the Saudi Arabian government, all Haj pilgrims must undergo mandatory medical screening.
Pilgrims will first undergo general medical check-ups at Haj Bhavan, and those requiring further tests will be referred to government hospitals based on doctors’ recommendations. He also said arrangements have been made for medical examinations at seven government hospitals in Bengaluru for Haj pilgrims.
