Over Rs 1,249 cr investment proposals received for Malda, N & S Dinajpur

Malda: Aiming to highlight industrial potential and encourage entrepreneurship across North Bengal, the Synergy and Business Facilitation Conclave 2025-26 held on Thursday at the Malda College Auditorium. The event, organised by the Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises & Textiles (MSME&T), Government of West Bengal, brought together entrepreneurs, industrialists, investors, and senior government officials from Malda, North and South Dinajpur districts.

According to administrative sources, investment proposals worth over Rs 1,249 crore have been received across the three districts, with Malda alone attracting Rs 895 crore. The new investments are expected to generate employment for more than 7,500 people, particularly in food processing, silk, mango-based industries, makhana cultivation and carpentry clusters.

The conclave was inaugurated by Chandranath Sinha, minister in-charge of MSME&T, in the presence of Tajmul Hossain, Minister of State for MSME & Minority Affairs, and Sabina Yeasmin, Minister of State for Irrigation, North Bengal Development, and Self-Help Groups. Also present were Rajya Sabha MP Mausam Noor, senior administrative officials including Rajesh Pandey, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, MSME&T department and District Magistrate Preeti Goyal, IAS, along with local legislators and civic representatives.

In his inaugural address, Chandranath Sinha said: “Entrepreneurs in this region stand to gain immensely from programs like Synergy, which directly connect them with government departments and investors. Our aim is to make Malda and adjoining districts a hub for agro-based and small-scale industries. The state government will continue to provide all possible assistance to budding industrialists.” The conclave witnessed active participation from local business associations and chambers of commerce. Jayanta Kundu, president of the Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce, hailed the growing investor confidence in the region. “We are witnessing unprecedented industrial interest in Malda. The proposed projects could create more than 6,000 new jobs across multiple sectors. However, for sustained growth and better connectivity, we strongly urge the state and Central governments to expedite the long-pending demand for an airport in Malda,” he stated.

The second-half of the conclave has featured sectoral sessions on agro-processing, textile innovation, and start-up incubation. Officials said the sessions aim to bridge the gap between policy and enterprise while accelerating regional industrialisation across North Bengal.