Mukesh Ambani to invest Rs 5,000 crores in ‘Best Bengal’

Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee earned lavish praise at the Bengal Global Business Summit from the industrialists who either assured her of big ticket investments or advocated for investments in the state. Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani announced that his group would invest over Rs 5,000 crores in West Bengal to turn the state into “Best Bengal.”

He said, “We are committing to invest over Rs 5000 crores in our non-Jio businesses which is across our eco-system, retail, petroleum outlets in the next three years in the state. We will work with everyone to contribute to make West Bengal as truly Best Bengal. This is my assurance to the honourable chief minister.”

Elaborating expansion plans of Jio network Mr Ambani underlined, “Our Jio network currently covers 1,000 towns and 39,000 villages in the state. I am happy to announce today that Jio will reach 100 per cent of West Bengal’s population by December 2018. Every last village will be covered by 4G digital technology.” He added, “I want to assure this august gathering that Jio will connect every single educational institution, school and college and every single hospital and medical delivery facility so that the power of data and digtal services are available to the people of West Bengal in the next two years ie by December 2019.”

Mr Ambani said, “West Bengal is the fourth largest state economy in India growing at over 15 per cent GDA which is much higher than the national average. Investment in infrastructure has been unprecedented. A global think-tank ranked Kolkata second among the Indian metros in overall performance even ahead of Mumbai.”

JSW Group chairman Sajjan Jindal said that his group’s Rs 10,000-crore investment would be spread in next three years across the group’s existing business segments — steel cement, power and its newly launched paints business.

Hailing Ms Banerjee for inaugurating JSW Cement plant at Salboni  said, “Friends, what I am trying to say is that if her committment to Bengal and investment to Bengal..this kind of support, passion and love I have not seen anywhere from a chief minister. As an ambassador of Bengal I really urge you, as potential investors, to choose Bengal as the prime-most destination.”

ArcelorMittal chairman L N Mittal said, “Come to Bengal to learn digital governance which eliminates delay and corruption. Bengal received highest awards from the Government of India in many areas and international bodies. Bengal is on an exciting path and indeed is already outperforming in some important areas compared with other states.”

He added, “The initiatives I am aware of is combined with Didi’s leadership and vision and her passion to feel very optimistic about the outlook of the state. The future is in your hands. I hope I will also be able to contribute in some meaningful way.”