The fire services department of West Bengal is set for a major infrastructure upgrade with an allocation of Rs 376 crore from the 15th Finance Commission, minister in-charge Sujit Bose announced today.

During an administrative meeting held at Uttarkanya, the branch secretariat in north Bengal, Mr Bose met with representatives from traders’ associations, rice mill owners, hoteliers, and hospital authorities. He discussed technical aspects of fire safety and sought their suggestions for improving fire service operations.

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Addressing reporters, Mr Bose stated, “A significant portion of the funds will be used to upgrade fire station infrastructure and procure new machinery, including vehicles. We plan to purchase at least 75 vehicles equipped with water tanks ranging from 2,500 to 14,000 litres. These vehicles, along with fire extinguisher engines, will be distributed among existing fire stations.”

West Bengal currently has 164 fire stations, of which 40 are located in eight districts of north Bengal. Mr Bose also revealed plans to establish new fire stations in priority areas of north Bengal, including Sukiapokhri, Takda, Gorubathan, Banarhat, and Itahar.

In a significant move to simplify procedures for small businesses, the minister announced the introduction of an online self-declaration system for obtaining fire licenses. Under this system, licenses will be issued within 60 days without requiring a preliminary investigation.

This initiative reflects the state government’s commitment to strengthening fire safety infrastructure and facilitating ease of doing business for small traders, he added.