‘Government aiming for anchor industry in state’

Basu said that steps are essential to set up agro-based industries in the state as it will help in attracting big investments. At the same time an anchor industry in the agriculture sector is essential as it would help in bringing an overall development in the agriculture sector. He said that the state 

government has taken several initiatives in this regard and it is expected that with the steps taken, it would move ahead of other states in the agriculture sector within a short time.

Basu said that the state has to be self sufficient so that it doesn’t need to depend on any other states for a better and quality yield. The state agriculture minister had been seeking help of the private investment in the agro-based industry in the state. He said: “It is not possible by the state government alone to make West Bengal self dependable in terms of agriculture. Thus, we are inviting businessmen to invest to develop cold storages, cold chains, seed industry and factories to 

manufacture machineries essential for farming,” adding that there are no industries to manufacture machineries of the kind those were being used by farmers in West Bengal.

In Thursday’s seminar, Basu announced that the state government plans to set up a centre for excellence in Burdwan. The centre would come up within the next two years. In a bid to bring up the centre of excellence, the state agriculture department held talks with countries like Britain, Israel and Netherlands in this regard.

There will be a knowledge sharing programme between the state and the countries. The updated 

technologies followed by those countries would also be used here. “Once we get the details of the technologies which are used by them, the state will be in a better position in the agriculture sector in the country,” he said.