Mamata Banerjee balancing industry and people’s rights: Amit Mitra

“Chief Minister wants larger margin of investment from the Tata Group. She even had taken two business heads from the Tatas along with her to Munich – a tour to find fresh German investment,” said Mitra at Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry meet on Wednesday adding: “I have read the recent statement of Cyrus Mistry, chairman of Tata Group which sounds very positive.”

Two managing directors (MD) -- T V Narendran of Tata Steel and Sanjiv Paul of Tata Metaliks were among the trade delegates to share their experience doing business in Bengal with the German investors.

However, the Tatas have expressed their keenness to bring the fresh investment in the state. The chairman of the Tata Group had said that West Bengal has always been a special part in their heart. The Tata Group has always found this state a place to grow. This state is also the part of company’s history.

On Wednesday in her speech at Singur, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee mentioned that the state government has around 1000 acre land at Goaltor in West Midnapore, in which automobile industry could be originated. “Tatas can build automobile industry at Goaltor. I do not mind delivering land to Tata’s or BMW to build automobile industry there. Any interested party can contact the industry minister Amit Mitra or Chief Secretary Basudeb Banerjee or industry secretary Krishna Gupta to know further,” the Chief Minister said.

Presenting the growth statistics, Mitra said that the traders’ fraternities of Germany are impressed with the figures. They will come to discuss investment in next Bengal Global Business Summit in January 20-21, 2017.

“We have given jobs to 68 lakh people and the process is still going on,” Mitra said at the BCCI gathering adding the state had largest bank funding in the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME). The MSME contributes 95 per cent of Garman economy. “So, MSME can take a major role in the economy,” Mitra said.

Giving the statistics, Mitra said the present Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of the state is Rs 9.5 lakh crore, which was Rs 4.60 lakh crore during the Mamata Banerjee government, had taken the office.

The figure is more than double. The fiscal deficit has reduced from 4.24 per cent to 2.68 per cent, which is an achievement. The revenue deficit of the state has reduced from 3.75 per cent to 1.03 per cent and moving towards zero. The income from state owned taxes have doubled. It was once Rs 21,129 crore, but now figuring at 42,920 crore.

The planned expenditure has increased 3 times; it was around Rs 14,650 crore, but now standing at Rs 54,069 crore. The social expenditure of the state has also grown up 4.5 times from the previous figure.

It has increased 7 times in agriculture, 4 times in physical infrastructure. The capital expenditure have increase from Rs 2,226 crore to Rs 15,947 crore.

“The construction of 10,663 km roads is underway, including 10,000 km rural roads. We have 99 per cent electrification in our states except Sundarbans where two Mouzas are still to be electrified, 6,000 new schools have made, 46 new government colleges have set up, 15 new universities including 8 private universities have come up here,” the industry and commerce minister added.