Home Page of Dr. Saumitra Mohan

Rethinking Indo-Bangla Relations Saumitra Mohan With a shared history and culture, it was expected that Indo-Bangladesh relations shall have a good trajectory but in reality, they have been always been held hostage to misplaced priorities owing to mutual misunderstandings. Indo-Bangla relations have so far been a tale of missed opportunities, even though there have been streaks of hopes also in between, marking our hot and cold relationship. A bilateral relationship which was supposed to be predicated on the strong foundation of a successful ‘joint venture’ resulting in Bangladesh’s liberation through Indian assistance has all gone awry. The potential of bilateral cooperation in sundry fields based on this supposed mutual bonhomie has never been unleashed in a way which could have changed the very face of the economy of Bangladesh and could have resulted in substantive gains for India as well, particularly its north-eastern region. Indo-Bangla Treaty of Friendship and Coopera...

Revitalizing Rural Non-Farm Sector in Hooghly *Saumitra Mohan Creation of employment and income opportunities for the rural people has always been a top priority for the Government. The importance of rural non-farm sectors (RNFS) lies in the fact that it generates new jobs with relatively low direct investments, by utilizing local skills and resources or by meeting local demands by adoption of simple techniques. NABARD (National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development) and other government agencies have come together to implement the District Rural Industries Project (DRIP) to bring about an industrial rejuvenation in Hooghly district of West Bengal with respect to small-scale and cottage industries. The objectives of the study have been following: · To identify and map the profile of the existing Rural Non-farm Sector (RNFS) activities and their distribution in Hooghly district, to be harnessed through credit and promotional support by banks, government departments, other...