40% investment proposals of BGBS being implemented through various projects

Around 40 per cent of the total investment proposals in Bengal Global Business Summits (BGBS) in 2015 and 2016 were being implemented through various projects, state Finance Minister Amit Mitra said in the Assembly on Tuesday.

In reply to the questions of the MLAs of the Opposition parties, Mitra on Tuesday told the House that nearly Rs 1.87 lakh crore have been invested in the state during the two BGBS. The state government had received investment proposals of Rs 4.5 lakh crore. In terms of investment Bengal emerged to be the most of accepting destination, Mitra said. The implementation rate of Bengal is 40 per cent while in the state like Gujarat, the implementation rate is 1 per cent.

The Finance Minister has proposed planned expenditure of Rs 905 crore and non-planned expenditure of Rs 87.23 crore for the financial year 2017-18. Mitra also said that state government has already drafted a maritime policy which is going to be finalised soon. A land for setting up a port near Tajpur in West Midnapore has already been identified.

The proposed site has a draft of 12 metre plus with tidal support of 3.9 channel length of 18 km which can harbour ships having capacity of Rs 1 lakh Dead Weight Tonnage (DWT). He also said that the state government has also given land of around 2,650 acre land for setting up industrial corridor which has already got approval from the Central government. The Excise department has invested Rs 700 crore at Haldia. The minister also said that government has decided to simplify procedure for setting up industries in the state.

Amongst all the states, West Bengal has been recognized for the introducing online solutions for registrations, payments and returns for VAT, CST, PT, Entertainment Tax, Entry Tax, Single window (Shilpa Sathi) for large industries and MSME Facilitation Centre (MFC) to monitor the progress and expedite clearance. A Garment Park is being developed on 9.5 acres of land in Budge Budge.

The state government is also setting up a new Industrial Park in Goaltore in West Midnapore over an approximate are of 950 acres of land.