ITPO offers Bengal govt help in promotion of handicrafts

The India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) has given a proposal to help the West Bengal government in promoting its geographical indication (GI) and handicraft products to Osaka in Japan, São Paulo in Brazil, Perth in Australia and Chile in Latin America under ‘Biswa Bangla Brand’.

On the occasion of ‘West Bengal Day’ at the India International Trade Fair in New Delhi, West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra said that it’s a matter of proud for us that ITPO, which conducts international fairs, has come forward in promoting some of the finest products of West Bengal.

He said, ‘I had a meeting with Rita Menon, chairman of ITPO, and the discussion was fruitful. I will carry this offer to our chief minister Mamata Banerjee for the final approval. We have many artists in Bengal who need a global platform and I am sure with this initiative they will be able to become a good entrepreneur as well’.

The Bengal government already started providing training to artists in financial management and other aspects to promote and sell their products in a price, which actually meet their cost and improve their standard of living.

Mitra, who had inaugurated a handicraft fair in West Bengal, said, ‘I am happy to see 3,000 participants in the fair. As a part of social inclusion, our government has given identity cards to nearly 5.26 lakh people, out of 5.5 lakh artists who are associated with the handicraft industry. ‘The rest of the people will get their identity cards in coming three months,’ the minister said.

On the context of West Bengal growth after Trinamool Congress came in to power, Mitra said, ‘The per capita growth of central government is 4.9 per cent as compare to 7.6 per cent in West Bengal. The index of Industrial Production (IIP) in India is grown by only 0.05 percent as compare to 6.65 percent in West Bengal. The central figure is pathetic. These are central statistic and we are way ahead in terms of figure.’

‘The tax collection in West Bengal (2012-2013) grew by 31.57 per cent, which is a record. From April to August, West Bengal’s tax growth in India was 21.6 per cent, which was second highest in India. I am proud of it and soon we will capture the first position.  Not the least, the Oxford book stores, which owned by Apeejay Surrendra Group, have also send a proposal to us regarding promoting our handicrafts products through their outlets in India. It is in the preliminary stage and we have take our chief minister approval for that,’ Mitra said.

He, however, refused to comment anything on Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd future, land acquisition policies of the Bengal government and arrest of suspended MP Kunal Ghosh in chit fund scam.