Bengal bags over Rs2.35L cr investment proposals

The state government has fetched investment proposals worth Rs 2,35,290 crore in the third edition of Bengal Global Business Summit, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday.

Addressing the dignitaries and participants on the concluding day of the two-day conference, the Chief Minister said it was an achievement that despite demonetisation which had crippled the Indian economy, the state government had bagged business proposals worth Rs 2.35 lakh crore which is equivalent to $36 billion.

"I am happy with the business proposals that have come. This is the third edition of BGBS. We had no experience when we had held it for the first time. We are learning every day and gathering experience," she added.

Banerjee said the past two editions of BGBS had collected investment proposals worth Rs 4.93 lakh crore. Of this amount, 40 per cent has been so far implemented. "It is the actual work that matters. It takes a long time to prepare DPR and prepare plans before actually implementing the projects.

The businessmen and dignitaries have interacted among themselves and after going back to their respective countries, they will discuss the projects with their governments and then a project will be finalised," she maintained.

The manufacturing sector has received investment proposals worth Rs 61, 765 crore. The Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) and Urban Development sectors have received proposals worth Rs 50,710 crore and Rs 46,600 crore respectively. The Transport sector has received investment proposal worth Rs 38,801 crore. Arguing in favour of investing in Bengal, Banerjee said that under the Left Front government the industrial scenario in the state had been badly hit. "But now, the situation has totally changed and Bengal is the ideal destination to invest," she said.

She maintained: "The state is a gateway to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh and is situated close to the North Eastern states. China, Myanmar and Thailand are not so far off." Hence, an investor will get the positional facility, she said, adding: "The state government is ready to provide all kinds of facilities. There is a land bank and we have policies for every sector. So Bengal should be the ideal destination."