Kolkata: West Bengal has received new investment proposals totalling around Rs 2.20 lakh crores which is expected to create employment for 20 lakh people.
This was announced by chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday at the conclusion of the fourth edition of Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS). Claiming of success of the event she described her government as “industry-friendly.”
In her address the chief minister said, “This year fresh investment proposals we have received are nearly Rs 2.20 lakh crore which has the potentiality to create jobs for 20 lakh people.” Referring to Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani’s assurances Ms Banerjee mentioned that out of the total target of employment one lakh jobs would be provided by RIL.
She informed that while 1,046 B2B, 40 B2G meetings were held, more than 110 MoUs were signed in the fields of mining, power, transport, technology, education, animation, skill development, food processing, warehouses, animal resource development and leather among others during the two-day summit.
Giving credit to the corporate world for the success of the event, Ms Banerjee added, “This year’s BGBS is extremely successful with top industrialists: Mukesh Ambani, Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, Sajjan Jindal, Adani Group, Uday Kotak, N Hiranandani, Kishore Biyani who attended it along with others.”
Reiterating her government’s stand, the chief minister explained, “West Bengal government is your friendly government. What we can do is that we will extend our heartiest and full cooperation to our industry friends because I consider my industry friends as my family members. And this is West Bengal family. We all will work together.”
At a sectoral summit on infrastructure organised by CREDAI Bengal with a focus on warehousing CEO of Embassy Industrial Parks Anshul Singhal informed of an investment to the tune of Rs 1,000 crores for West Bengal. He said, “The investment of Rs 1,000 crores over the next three years could provide employment to 1000 people across the state.”
Urban development minister Firhad Hakim was present at the session.
CEO & Country Head, JLL India Ramesh Nair said, “West Bengal is standing at a turning point of logistics revolution with lot of opportunities knocking the doors. GST implementation has opened up floodgates for logistics opportunities in Bengal as GST has eradicated the state boundary for logistics which has opened up windows of distribution opportunity in East and North East India - imminent from the growing developer interest in the region and the proposed MMLP. It’s time to see how the state improves its status on ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and adapts to the changing needs of the sector and embrace growth.”
