Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Minister Agnimitra Paul Urges Balanced Urban-Rural Development and Empowerment
Agnimitra Paul said cities and villages must develop together.
She explained that strong cities are not enough for true progress.
Villages should have good economic opportunities and a safe environment.
She also said cities depend on the villages around them.
The minister praised journalists who travel to remote places to report on important problems.
These reporters wrote about healthcare, illegal activities, tribal communities and environmental changes.
Several journalists received awards for this work.
Reji Joseph won the 2025 Cushrow Irani Prize for Environmental Reporting.
West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul called for development that combines strong cities with empowered rural communities.
Paul said cities cannot grow sustainably when surrounding villages are neglected or economically and environmentally insecure.
She praised The Statesman’s rural reporting awards for highlighting rural struggles, achievements and policy-relevant issues.
Award winners reported on maternal healthcare, illegal rural economies, tribal communities and disappearing Indian islands.
The 2025 Cushrow Irani Prize for Environmental Reporting went to journalist Reji Joseph.
- Who
- West Bengal Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul, The Statesman, and the rural-reporting award recipients.
- What
- Paul called for balanced urban-rural development and praised journalists honored for reporting on rural issues.
- When
- Wednesday; the environmental reporting prize was identified as the 2025 award.
- Where
- Kalamandir in Kolkata, West Bengal.
- Why
- Paul said sustainable progress requires strong urban infrastructure alongside empowered, economically viable and environmentally secure rural communities.
- Speaker
- Agnimitra Paul, West Bengal’s Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister
- Event
- The Statesman Awards for Rural Reporting
- Venue
- Kalamandir
- First prize
- Deepti Raut of Divya Marathi, for reporting on maternal healthcare in remote tribal areas of Maharashtra
- Second prize
- Jyoti Yadav, for ThePrint reporting on Bihar’s sand and liquor mafia
- Third prize
- R Samban, for Janayugom Daily reporting on Muthuvan tribal settlements in Kerala
- Environmental prize
- Reji Joseph won the 2025 Cushrow Irani Prize for Environmental Reporting for reports on “Disappearing Islands of India”