Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday called for freedom for industry and the working class, accusing the Centre of withholding funds and creating an atmosphere of fear through central agencies, which she claimed was hurting businesses.
“Every time you disturb a businessman through agencies, how will he grow? There is uncertainty. Nobody knows whether the next morning the sun, moon, stars or an agency would rise,” Banerjee said while addressing the Business & Industry Conclave, 2025 at the Dhana Dhanyo Auditorium.
Highlighting Bengal’s growth in services and culture, Banerjee said the state had been recognised by the United Nations as the ‘Best Destination for Culture’. She noted that Durga Puja, now a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, generates nearly Rs 1 lakh crore in economic activity. Tourism, real estate, agriculture, food processing and the creative economy were witnessing sustained momentum, she said, adding that real estate investments worth Rs 45,000 crore had been made in the last two years.
Banerjee said she had taken on the challenge of changing Bengal’s image after assuming office in 2011. “Today, those changes are clearly visible. Bengal has emerged as one of India’s most industry-friendly and investment-ready states,” she said. The state now hosts one of the country’s largest logistics hubs, with eastern India’s highest warehousing capacity of 24 lakh tonnes.
She described the World Bank’s partnership with Bengal on logistics and export growth as a matter of pride and said granting industry status to logistics had attracted global players such as Amazon and Instakart.
Reiterating her opposition to demonetisation, Banerjee said “cash in hand” fuels investment and economic activity.
From the conclave stage, the Chief Minister inaugurated a 660 MW supercritical power unit at Sagardighi, two industrial parks, MSME facilitation centres, the ‘Utsadhara’ tourism project at Barrackpore and key dairy infrastructure. She also laid foundation stones for SHG and artisans’ malls and announced projects spanning industrial and pharmaceutical parks, renewable energy, cement, film, food processing, manufacturing and mobility sectors. Banerjee launched the Mini Cinema Policy and announced the upcoming International IT, Entertainment and Cultural Park Biswa Angan in New Town, adding that the foundation stone for Durga Angan would be laid there on December 29.
Citing a NITI Aayog report, she claimed that two crore jobs had been created in the state and unemployment reduced by 40 per cent. She said the next Bengal Global Business Summit would be held after the elections, noting the ongoing SIR process.