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US to treat West Bengal as partner state
for investment: Mamata

KOLKATA: The US has agreed to treat West Bengal as a partner state for investment in the changed political situation, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in Kolkata
on Monday. "As per partner state, they will invest in West Bengal which was not taking place due to the political situation in the past," Banerjee told reporters after a 52-minute meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

She also said that the issue of FDI in retail did not come up during the meeting. She said the areas identified for US investment were IT, software sector, manufacturing, deep sea port, tourism, health care and education.

"They will give full support for economic and business development," Banerjee said, adding that Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh and US Ambassador Nancy Powell would coordinate and monitor the progress.

Describing her meeting with Clinton as "positive, constructive, creative and concrete", the Chief Minister said the Teesta water-sharing agreement and FDI in retail issues did not figure in the discussion.

"There were no talks about Teesta (water-sharing with Bangladesh). There were no talks on FDI in retail. No nuclear or strategic issues were discussed," Banerjee told reporters in reply to a volley of questions.

Clinton welcomed the political change in the state after 34 years and expressed her happiness at the implementation of programmes taken up. "We discussed many issues. She congratulated us. Clinton appreciated our passion of work and implementation of programmes."

"My boundary is limited. I am a small person," the Chief Minister said when asked if strategic issues and nuclear issues were discussed. She said that she had informed Clinton that the situation in the Darjeeling Hills and Junglemahal was normal now.

"There were some problems in Darjeeling and Junglemahal when we came to power. Now it is settled and peace has been restored." Taking pride in Clinton's visit, she said, "This is a matter of pride that a US Secretary of State has come and talked to us here for the first time after Independence.

"We are all happy and we think that West Bengal should be a destination for investment. This is not my credit but the victory of the Ma, Mati, Manush (mother, land and people)," she said.

Stating that she laid stress on the development of the entertainment industry, she sought a joint endeavour to promote Bengal's entertainment industry along with Hollywood and Bollywood.

"Clinton said they will discuss and let us know," the Chief Minister said. She told the US Secretary of State that that Shah Rukh Khan was the brand ambassador for West Bengal and frequently visited the US to which Clinton replied that he was very popular in the US and had fans there.

The Chief Minister said that Clinton gifted her a mat with Tagore's picture embossed on it with a line from his song 'aguner parashmoni chhoaon prane' inscribed on it.

Banerjee also sought Clinton's cooperation to hold a world youth festival to commemorate Swami Vivekananda's address at the Chicago world religious festival, where he had addressed the gathering as “brothers and sisters of America”.

"She told me that she will speak to the Mayor of Chicago and let me know," Banerjee said. Banerjee said that if possible, President Barack Obama should come to such a programme here as also Clinton and her daughter Chelsea.

The Chief Minister presented Clinton a scarf from Santiniketan, an English translation of Tagore's Gitanjali, a copy of Gitabitan, the collected work of Swami Vivekananda and a book on Sri Ramakrishna brought from the Belur Math. — PTI

Hollande is new French President

Paris: Fance handed the presidency on Sunday to leftist Francois Hollande, a champion of government stimulus programmes who says the state should protect the downtrodden a victory that could deal a death blow to the drive for austerity that has been the hallmark of Europe in recent years.

Mild and affable, the President-elect inherits a country deep in debt and divided over how to integrate immigrants while preserving its national identity. Markets will closely watch his initial moves as President.

“Austerity can no longer be inevitable!” Hollande declared in his victory speech after a surprising campaign that saw him transform from an unremarkable figure to an increasingly statesmanlike one. He will take office no later than May 16.

Speaking to exuberant crowds, Hollande portrayed himself as a vehicle for change across Europe.

“In all the capitals ... there are people who, thanks to us, are hoping, are looking to us, and want to finish with austerity,” he told supporters early on Monday at Paris’ Place de la Bastille. “You are a movement lifting up everywhere in Europe, and perhaps the world.”

Lucknow ex-CMO held for murders 

Lucknow: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested former Lucknow Chief Medical Officer (CMO) AK Shukla, on Monday, in connection with the death of two former CMOs, Vinod Arya and BP Singh, in jail.

Shukla, who worked in the UP Family Welfare Department, was once arrested for 
corruption but was later released on bail. Vinod Arya was killed on October 27, 2010, while taking a morning walk and CMO BP Singh was found dead under mysterious circumstances on April 2, 2011.

Murders Of the two CMOs were found to be linked with the scam in fund disbursement for the NRHM scheme. Soon after Singh's death, then deputy CMO YS Sachan was arrested as the main suspect. On June 22, he was also found dead in the toilet of Lucknow jail.

Sachan's mysterious death on the day when UP police had decided to move court for his custodial interrogation in the murder cases had kicked up a storm. The case was later handed over to the CBI.