'Bengal's economy on growth course; capex up 9-fold, tax revenue 4 times'

Kolkata: Replying to the Governor's speech in the Assembly, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday, said that Bengal's economy for the past few years has been on the 'growth trajectory' and her government's focus will be on industrialisation and employment generation in the coming years. She also highlighted the various projects that the state has taken up and is set to create lakhs of job opportunities in the days to come.

The chief minister stated that the Deocha Pachami coal block project at Birbhum alone will create 1 lakh jobs with an investment of Rs 30,000 crore. Banerjee has already announced an attractive compensation package of Rs 10,000 crore for the people who will be providing land for the project.

A person giving land in the area will get double the market value of the land along with 100 per cent solatium as land cost, which is around Rs 13 lakhs per bigha.

The initial package had provided one employment for one member of every family as Junior Police Constable. But in the revised package announced recently, those with higher qualifications will be provided with a higher grade posting in police or an equivalent posting in other departments namely Group C category under which a total of 5100 people would be provided jobs under this. A total of 203 people who gave their plots have already received the facilities.

Banerjee said that Bengal is number one in MSME which employs over 1.35 crores people in 90 lakh units across the state.

"Our GSDP has increased three times, tax revenue has risen four times, capital expenditure has gone up 9 times and state plan expenditure has gone up 5.9 times, " she added.

Banerjee said that 77 lakh girls have benefitted from the Kanyashree scheme, 11.10 lakh have reaped benefits of Rupashree scheme. "We have provided 2.92 crore scholarships for the minorities in the last 11 years which is the highest in the country. The state has spent Rs 6000 crore for this purpose," she added.

The Shikshashree scholarship has been provided to 1.4 crores students belonging to SC, ST, OBC category while more than 1.47 crore caste certificates have been handed over. Last year about 39.37 lakh caste certificates were handed over, stated the chief minister.

She also mentioned about the West Bengal Student Internship Scheme 2022 in which students after completing their graduation or equivalent level in technical education will get the opportunity to do an internship with the state government for a period of one year. They will receive a consolidated pay of Rs 5000 per month and 6000 students will be roped in every year under the scheme.