Mamata’s assembly chamber chair removed, new CM Suvendu to have another seat
Kolkata (PTI): The chair used by former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in the state Assembly for the past 15 years has been shifted to the opposition leader’s room following the change of government in the state, a senior official said on Saturday.
Suvendu Adhikari, the BJP leader who was sworn in as the CM during the day, would not use the chair occupied by his predecessor, and a different seat has been arranged in the chief minister’s chamber, the official said.
The wooden chair was shifted on Friday night as part of the administrative rearrangement after the new government took over.
The room where Banerjee’s chair has now been placed is expected to be used by the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, officials added.
“As per established protocol, the previous chief minister’s designated furniture and official markers were removed. Necessary modifications are being carried out for the new administration,” a senior state bureaucrat told PTI.
The official nameplate outside Banerjee’s chamber was also removed in accordance with procedure, sources said.
Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, was defeated by Adhikari in the Bhabanipur assembly constituency in south Kolkata.
Meanwhile, a new nameplate bearing Adhikari's name has been installed outside the chief minister's chamber in the assembly.
This room has served as the chamber of several past chief ministers of West Bengal.
“The changes are largely procedural. They reflect the formal transition of administrative authority after the formation of the new government,” another senior official in the Assembly secretariat said.
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Assam's Baksa honey goes global, 1st shipment exported to US
Guwahati (PTI): The first-ever consignment of honey from Assam’s Baksa district to the United States was flagged off from Guwahati on Saturday, an official statement said.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the export from the aspirational district under the Centre’s One District One Product (ODOP) initiative.
The consignment was undertaken by APEDA-registered exporter Salt Range Foods Pvt Ltd.
Commissioner and secretary of the agriculture department and agriculture production commissioner Aruna Rajoria flagged off the consignment.
"The landmark consignment, comprising around 20 metric tonnes of honey, was flagged off from Guwahati. The honey has been processed and packed at the facility of Salt Range Foods Private Limited in Guwahati," the statement said.
Sourced from an eco-friendly and pesticide-free environment, the honey from Baksa district is known for its high quality and near-organic characteristics, reflecting the region’s rich biodiversity and sustainable agricultural practices, it said.
Honey from Baksa has also been identified under the ODOP initiative, recognising its potential for livelihood generation, value addition and export growth.
Assam has immense potential for honey production owing to its rich biodiversity, abundant forest resources and long-standing tradition of beekeeping, the statement said.
The state produced approximately 1,650 metric tonnes of honey during 2023-24, according to the National Horticulture Board's latest data.
Major honey-producing districts in the state include Baksa, Kokrajhar, Chirang, Udalguri and Tamulpur in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
The APEDA, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, facilitated the export by supporting infrastructure development, including the provision of testing and laboratory equipment at the processing facility to ensure adherence to international quality standards and food safety requirements.
The initiative is expected to significantly benefit local beekeepers and farmers, with farmers receiving around 43 per cent higher price realisation compared to prevailing local farm gate prices, thereby enhancing income opportunities and strengthening rural livelihoods in the region, the statement said.
