State to set up industrial corridors in North Bengal region

Aiming to add more muscle to the industries sector in the districts of North Bengal, the state government has decided to set up industrial corridors in this region.

A survey for land has already started in different districts of North Bengal for this. Along with this connectivity is also being improved.

“The state government has an industrial corridor policy. Based on this policy we have made three industrial corridors in South Bengal. Similarly, we will set up corridors in North Bengal as well. The vacant land near highways is being surveyed for setting up these corridors,” stated Hari Krishna Dwivedi, Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal.

The Chief Secretary held a meeting with the industrialists of North Bengal on Wednesday. Incidentally, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is on a tour of North Bengal accompanied by Chief Secretary Dwivedi.

Addressing a government programme on Tuesday, Banerjee stated that she will be visiting Meghalaya on Wednesday. “However, the Chief Secretary will hold meetings with trade, commerce and industries associations to find out what more we can do in North Bengal,” the Chief Minister had stated.

The meeting was held with representatives of micro, small and medium industries of all the districts of North Bengal on Wednesday in Siliguri. The meeting was organised by the department of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSME).

In the meeting, a demand for setting up industrial corridors had been raised. Accordingly, the Chief Secretary announced that the process for setting up corridors has

already begun.

He also said that the state government has given a lot of stress on improving connectivity in this region.

“We are making new airports in many places and also trying to upgrade the existing ones by providing land. We have made the Cooch Behar airport. There we have waived off sales tax on aviation turbine fuel. We are trying to make Malda and Balurghat airports re-operational. About 40 acres of land have been given to expand the Hashimara Air Force station so that commercial flights can land there on the lines of Bagdogra Airport. All this will boost the industrial sector,” he added.

Sanjay Tibrewal, the former Chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said: “Today’s meeting was very fruitful. We have received many suggestions and complaints too. Maximum complaints were on getting a fire license and sanctioning building plans. We have noted down all the suggestions and problems. We will make a list which will be submitted to the MSME department. The Chief Secretary has assured us that the issues will be looked into at the earliest.”